Arrest warrant issued for Montana man accused of killing thousands of birds, including eagles
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A federal judge in Montana has issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of killing thousands of birds, including bald and golden eagles, after he failed to show up for an initial court appearance.
A second defendant pleaded not guilty Monday and was released pending further proceedings.
A grand jury indictment unsealed last month says the two defendants, working with others, killed about 3,600 birds on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere.
They allegedly sold eagle parts on a black market that has been a long-running problem for U.S. wildlife officials.
