A 43-year-old Porter man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to shooting and killing a bald eagle in his backyard, federal officials said.
Santos Guerrero pled guilty on May 14. U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray sentenced Guerrero to 14 days in federal jail and a $5,000 fine.
According to the evidence produced in court, Guerrero shot the bald eagle on October 11, 2024, while it was in a tree in his backyard. He then placed the injured bird under a sheet in his garage before lying to authorities about what transpired.
Authorities launched an investigation after receiving reports of the shooting. Before arriving to Guerrero’s home, investigators studied video footage of the eagle being shot and falling from the tree.
Law enforcement officers identified the tree in the footage and searched the property. They discovered the injured eagle hiding under a tarp in Guerrero’s garage and transported it to an animal hospital.
Due of the severity of the eagle’s injuries, veterinarians eventually euthanized it.
A necropsy revealed that the bullet significantly damaged the eagle’s wing. The fall from the tree resulted in liver fractures, internal hemorrhage, and a damaged leg.
Although bald eagles are no longer categorized as endangered, they are nevertheless protected under the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
The law makes it illegal to kill, possess, sell, transport, export, or import bald or golden eagles, either living or dead. The safeguards also cover eagle parts, nests, and eggs.
Guerrero was released on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons prison at a later date.
The case was investigated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, with assistance from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Liesel Roscher, an assistant US attorney, prosecuted the case.
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