PORTER, Texas – 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, according to federal prosecutors.
Santos Guerrero pleaded guilty May 14. U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray ordered Guerrero to serve 14 days in federal prison and pay a $5,000 fine.
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According to evidence presented in court, Guerrero shot the bald eagle on Oct. 11, 2024, as it was in a tree in his backyard. He then hid the injured bird under a tarp in his garage and later lied to authorities about what happened.
Authorities began investigating after receiving reports of the shooting. Investigators reviewed video showing the eagle being shot and falling from the tree before responding to Guerrero’s home.
Law enforcement identified the tree shown in the video and searched the property. They found the injured eagle hidden under a tarp in Guerrero’s garage and took it to an animal hospital.
Veterinarians later euthanized the eagle because of the severity of its injuries.
A necropsy found that the bullet caused significant damage to the eagle’s wing. The fall from the tree also caused liver fractures, internal bleeding and a fractured leg.
Although bald eagles are no longer listed as endangered, they remain protected under the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
The law prohibits killing, possessing, selling, transporting, exporting or importing bald or golden eagles, whether alive or dead, without authorization. The protections also apply to eagle parts, nests and eggs.
Guerrero was allowed to remain on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated the case with assistance from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.