HOUSTON – A Porter man has admitted to shooting and killing a bald eagle at his home in northeast Harris County, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
According to federal officials, Santos Guerrero, 42, pleaded guilty to violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act after authorities say he shot the bird on Oct. 11, 2024.
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Investigators responded after receiving reports about the shooting and reviewed video footage that allegedly showed the eagle being shot before falling from a tree.
Authorities later went to Guerrero’s residence, where they matched the tree seen in the video and located the injured eagle still alive.
The bird was transported to an animal hospital but had to be euthanized because of the severity of its injuries.
A necropsy found the eagle suffered major trauma, including severe wing damage caused by the bullet. Officials said the fall also resulted in liver fractures, internal bleeding and a broken leg.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act makes it illegal to kill, possess, sell or transport bald or golden eagles — including their nests, eggs or body parts — without a permit.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray accepted Guerrero’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for July 30. He faces up to one year in federal prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.