Alleged eagle killer makes court appearance; second fails to appear

A Washington man suspected of conspiring to unlawfully kill bald and golden eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and then illegally sell them on the black market across the United States and elsewhere appeared for arraignment Tuesday on multiple charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Travis John Branson, 48, of Cusick, Wash., pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy, unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and Lacey Act violations. If convicted of the most serious crime, Branson faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Branson appeared at Federal Court in Missoula on a summons and was released pending further proceedings.

Co-defendant Simon Paul failed to appear on a summons, and the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

“It is good to finally see federal charges,” said CSKT Tribal Council Chairman Tom McDonald when charges were filed in December. “The CSKT will continue to monitor this case, and we remain ready to provide support to the federal agents and prosecutors where needed.”

CSKT Fish and Game Conservation officers initiated the investigation, then continued to work cooperatively with their federal and state counterparts on the multi-year probe that ultimately resulted in the charges that were filed Dec. 7.

As alleged in the indictment, from about January 2015 until about March 2021, near Ronan, on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul and Branson conspired to illegally kill and offer for sale bald and golden eagles.

Investigators uncovered messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles. “[O]ut [here] committing felonies,” one message from Branson said. In another, he told buyers he was on “a killing spree” to obtain eagle tail feathers for future sales.

According to the indictment, Paul, Branson and others hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Reservation and elsewhere. In total, the defendants killed approximately 3,600 birds, including eagles, then illegally sold eagle feathers and parts on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.

The indictment further alleges that Branson traveled from Washington to the Flathead Reservation to shoot bald and golden eagles, and that Paul was a “shooter” and “shipper” of eagles for Branson.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that it was not only a bird of biological interest but also this country’s national symbol. In 1962, Congress extended the act to protect golden eagles.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan G. Weldon and Randy Tanner are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, CSKT Fish and Game and Flathead Tribal Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.

“Such a massive toll on the Flathead Reservation’s raptor population is hard to quantify,” said McDonald. “These are magnificent birds of prey that are of such tremendous significance to our Tribes. Eagles are not only a treasured and important part of the Reservation’s ecosystem, they have a profound place in CSKT cultural and spiritual practices.”