Two men charged with killing and trafficking eagles

According to an indictment filed Dec. 7 in U.S. District Court in Missoula, two men are charged with unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles, hunted and killed on the Flathead Reservation and elsewhere.

Allegedly, defendants Simon Paul and Travis John Branson hunted and killed approximately 3,600 birds including eagles, which were then sold on the black market for significant sums of cash.

During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered messages from Branson bragging that he was “on a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers, and indicating he knew he was committing felonies.

The indictment charges Branson and Paul with “knowingly and willfully” conspiring with each other “and with persons both known and unknown to the Grand Jury” to illegally kill, transport, offer for sale and sell bald and golden eagles.

Branson is accused of traveling from Washington state to the Flathead Reservation to shoot bald and golden eagles from January 2019 through March 2021. During the same period of time, Paul, who lived near Ronan, is said to have met Branson and helped kill, transport and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market. He’s described as a “shooter” and “shipper” of the birds.

The indictment enumerates eight specific instances, from April 30, 2020-March 13, 2021, when Branson “knowingly and with wanton disregard for the consequences of his actions, took, possessed, sold, bartered, offered to sell, transported and exported” wings, tails and other body parts.

During the same period of time, Paul is accused of five such incidents.

On Dec. 17, 2020, Branson allegedly texted a purchaser a photo of a golden eagle tail set and received a PayPal payment. Two days later, Paul mailed the tail set from St. Ignatius to Texas, and Branson received a message from the purchaser Dec. 21 that said, “Got that thang from Simon. And the mirror feathers. Tnks.”

The documents detail how, on March 13, 2021, the two men used a previously killed deer to lure eagles, then Branson shot and killed a golden eagle, which was cleaned by Paul. Parts were then prepared for transport by the two men.

Branson and Paul are accused of one count of conspiracy, which carries a potential five-year prison term and a $250,000 fine.

They’re also charged with 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles, with penalties of one-year imprisonment and $5,000 fine for the first offense, and two years in prison and a $10,000 fine for second and subsequent convictions.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was first enacted in 1940 to protect the national symbol and was expanded in 1962 to also protect golden eagles. The act prohibits anyone from killing, disturbing, or capturing bald or golden eagles, their feathers, nests, or eggs without a permit and includes criminal penalties for people who do so.

Branson and Paul also face one count of violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits taking wildlife from protected areas and trafficking in unlawfully taken wildlife. Penalties for that charge include up to five years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Arraignments for the two men are set for Jan. 8 in U.S. District Court in Missoula.