MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A Washington state man accused of leading a wildlife trafficking ring that killed thousands of eagles and hawks on a Native American reservation to sell on the black market was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison.

The smuggling ring operated for years on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana. high demand among tribal members for feathers and other bird parts used in meetings and sacred ceremonies.

In total, the defendant and others killed at least 118 eagles, 107 hawks and as many as 3,600 birds, prosecutors said.

Officials said juvenile golden eagles were especially targeted because their black and white feathers were highly sought after among Native Americans.

The poaching operation was centered on the Flathead Indian Reservation in northwestern Montana, which researchers say is home to the highest density of eagles and other birds of prey in the United States. Authorities said they would shoot the eagles that came to feed with them.

They were also opportunistically shooting hawks from utility poles and other perches.

Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington pleaded guilty He was tried in March on conspiracy and wildlife trafficking charges.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen in Missoula said at the sentencing hearing that Branson’s killing of the birds was planned, extensive and carried out with full knowledge that he was breaking the law.

“If you hadn’t been caught, you would still be doing this today,” the judge said. Christensen ordered Branson to pay $777,250 in damages ($5,000 for each eagle killed and $1,750 per hawk).

The sentence was at the upper end of federal sentencing guidelines.

Branson apologized to the court and his family before he was sentenced.

“It’s my fault,” he said. “I know what I did was wrong.”

In text messages obtained by investigators and presented at the sentencing hearing, Branson wrote that birds had been killed since the 1980s.

“So many I can’t remember anymore LOL,” Branson said in one message.

Other texts described eagles being shot in Nevada and Idaho, with dozens of birds shot in a single weekend.

“This is just a glimpse of the murder that occurred,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Mona Iannelli said during the hearing.

The second defendant in the case told authorities that the smuggling ring had been operating since 2009 and killed 300 to 400 birds a year.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office said others were also involved.

But at Thursday’s hearing, it was stated that Branson was the organizer of the smuggling ring, instructing others where and when to shoot the birds and then arranging the sale of their feathers and parts.

US Attorney Jesse Laslovich said after the hearing: “His failure to respect the sanctity of these protected birds was motivated by one thing: greed.”

Laslovich added that those who purchased the feathers shared responsibility for the murders. The prosecutor said he wanted to warn buyers that their behavior was a federal crime.

Prosecutors had asked the judge to impose a “significant” prison sentence and order Branson to pay restitution.

He faced up to five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. His lawyer requested probation and claimed prosecutors were exaggerating the number of birds killed.

Federal Defender Andrew Nelson also objected to the compensation amount, saying it was too high for eagles and hawks should not be counted.

Christensen denied the allegations.

Branson had no prior criminal history, according to Nelson. He grew up in the Flathead region, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Nelson said he lost his job as chief of maintenance for the Kalispel Tribe in Washington because of the charges against him and suffered a stroke in April.

The large number of birds killed in this case underlines that a struggle is ongoing. development of illegal trade The eagle was in its feathers despite the efforts of law enforcement, which cleared dozens of criminal charges in the U.S. West and Midwest over the past decade.

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson said the loss of so many birds of prey on the Flathead Reservation will be felt for years to come. He said eagles are important to the ecosystem of the region, as well as to the cultural and spiritual practices of tribal members.

“We hope this will help put an end to illegal poaching in our homelands,” Dolson said.

Bald eagles, once threatened by the pesticide DDT, have rebounded and experienced a resurgence in recent years. plenty now. Golden eagles’ recovery continues weaker and researchers have warned that the population is on the brink of decline due to shootings. poisoningsElectric shock on power lines, collisions with wind turbines and other threats.

It is illegal to buy or sell eagle feathers or other parts. The government attempted to balance the strong demand for feathers among Native Americans by providing them free of charge from the government warehouse. However, they cannot keep up with the demand and the warehouse has years of backlog.

According to court records, Branson made between $180,000 and $360,000 from 2009 to 2021 by illegally selling bald and golden eagle parts.

Christensen did not allow Branson to remain in custody until he was sent to prison. The defendant made an obscene gesture to journalists as he left the courthouse without further comment.

He waived his right to appeal Thursday’s sentencing under a plea agreement that included dismissal of additional charges.

The second defendant, St. Simon Paul of Ignatius, Montana released. A federal judge issued an arrest warrant in December after Paul failed to appear for an initial hearing. Court documents allege he fled to Canada.

Federally recognized tribes can apply for a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take bald or golden eagles for religious purposes. Registered tribal members can apply for feathers and other bird parts. National Eagle Repository in Colorado and in nongovernmental warehouses in Oklahoma and Arizona.

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