Travis John Branson pleads guilty in biggest ever eagle poaching case

Co-defendant Simon Paul remains at large

MISSOULA,  Montana––Travis John Branson,  48,   of Cusick, Washington,  on March 21,  2024 pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of Montana to charges of conspiracy,  unlawful trafficking in bald and golden eagle feathers,  and of the Lacey Act of 1900,  which prohibits trade in wildlife,  fish,  and plants that have been illegally taken,  possessed,  transported,  or sold.

Branson thereby reversed his pleas of “not guilty” to the same charges,  entered on January 8,  2024.  Branson on February 27,  2024 moved to change his pleas to “guilty.”

The guilty pleas appear to be preliminary to accepting a plea-bargained sentence of significantly less than the possible maximum for the charges that Branson originally faced,  along with co-defendant Simon Paul,  38,  of St. Ignatius,  Montana,  who has yet to be apprehended.

Branson is to be sentenced on July 31,  2024.

Faced up to 20 years

As originally charged,  Branson and Paul both faced  potential maximum penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment, fourteen years on probation, and fines totaling $355,000,  if receiving maximum penalties to be served consecutively.

ANIMALS 24-7 previously summarized the case against Branson and Paul in Eagle poaching indictments detail case allegedly dwarfing all others,  posted on December 14,  2023.

“Further details and photographs from illegal transactions in 2021 surfaced during the most recent court proceedings,”  reported Katie Hill for Outdoor Life.

“An unknown buyer allegedly reached out to Branson on March 1, 2021 seeking eagle feathers for sale,”  Hill wrote.  “Branson sent two photos of eagle feathers back to the buyer, who then paid Branson $650 and received the feathers in the mail.

Caught with claws & feathers

“On March 13,  2021,  traffic officers pulled Branson over for a routine stop in Polson, Montana, and found golden eagle claws and feathers in his vehicle.  They found the rest of the eagle’s body in a field nearby.

“The indictment also mentioned that other parties were involved, although they remained unnamed,”  Hill said.

Branson and Paul were indicted by a federal grand jury on December 7,  2023 for unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and conspiracy.

Branson and Paul,  according to the indictment,  allegedly killed more birds of prey between them,  mostly on the Flathead Indian Reservation of western Montana,  than the individual defendants in any other criminal case on record,  not only in the U.S. but worldwide.

Killed “approximately 3,600 birds”

The federal indictment estimated that Branson and Paul between them killed “approximately 3,600 birds,  including eagles.”

Branson,  however,  was specifically criminally accused only of possessing and selling bald and golden eagle tails,  wings, or other parts on seven different occasions between April 2020 and March 2021,  in violation of the Lacey Act of 1900,  which forbids interstate commerce in illegally taken wildlife.

Paul was specifically only accused of five such offenses,  occurring between December 2020 and March 2021.

The birds they killed were not otherwise itemized by species,  date,  or number.

Could have been charged with more

Had a more complete species inventory of their killing been available,  Branson and Paul might have been charged with violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and perhaps with violating the Endangered Species Act of 1973,  as well as with the offenses they were charged with,  including one count each of conspiracy;  and eight counts each of violating the Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940,  extended in 1962 to cover golden eagles as well as bald eagles.

The Bald & Golden Eagle Protection Act prohibits anyone from “killing,  disturbing,  or capturing bald or golden eagles,  their feathers,  nests,  or eggs” without a permit.

Paul was “shooter” and “shipper”

Branson allegedly arranged the eagle feather transactions,  according to the indictment,  while Paul “was a ‘shooter’ and ‘shipper’ of bald and golden eagles for Branson.”

The indictment indicates that the conspiracy to kill eagles for feathers and other salable body parts actually began in 2015.

The Branson and Paul modus operandi was allegedly to poach a deer,  then shoot birds of prey who landed on the carcass.

Paul at the time reportedly lived in Ronan,  Montana,  near the center of the Flathead Indian Reservation,  but neither Paul nor Branson is believed to hold Native American tribal status.

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