A Texas man is facing felony federal charges for allegedly purchasing illegally obtained eagle feathers and eagle parts from two men who poached over 3,600 birds, including eagles, in Montana between 2015 and 2021.
John Patrick Butler of Humble, Texas, was identified as a buyer in a federal investigation that uncovered a years-long mass killing of eagles and a system of trafficking their body parts across multiple states.
Federal prosecutors filed an indictment against Butler and another defendant, Simon Paul, in U.S. District Court last month.
This image provided by the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana from a court document shows eagle feathers from birds that a Washington state man is accused of shooting to sell their parts on the black market.
"The killing of eagles is fueled, in whole and in part, because purchasers will buy the eagles on the black market," the indictment reads. "John Patrick Butler was one of those purchasers, and he requested the killing of specific types of eagles."
Butler will be arraigned in federal court this month.
People are also reading…
Last November, a Washington man originally from the Flathead Reservation, Travis John Branson, 49, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for his role as one of the poachers in the case. Branson must pay $777,250 in restitution for shooting hundreds of eagles and hawks in Montana over at least six years.
Prosecutors allege that Butler would purchase eagles from Branson and Paul by transferring money to Branson through PayPal and other forms of online payment. In return, Branson and Paul allegedly sent the eagles and their parts through the mail to Texas.
Prosecutors allege that Paul lived near Ronan from January 2019 to March of 2021, where he was the "shooter" and "shipper" of bald and golden eagles for Branson.
"When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market," the indictment states. "From November 2020 until March 2021, Butler purchased eagles shot in Montana and elsewhere by Branson and Paul."
Federal prosecutors allege that at one point, Butler asked Branson, "Did u ever see any crispy ones yet?"
During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered messages from Branson and others describing the illegal killing of eagles by stating "Out here committing felonies," and telling buyers he was "on a killing spree" to obtain eagle feathers.
Butler is facing several charges, including conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, which carries a penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is also facing a violation of the federal Lacey Act, which carries the same penalty. The Lacey Act prohibits trafficking illegally taken plants or animals. Butler is also charged with unlawful trafficking of migratory birds and unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles.
Paul, Butler's co-defendant in the case, failed to appear for a court hearing in early January of 2024. A warrant was issued, but he remains at large.
Former Missoulian reporter Joshua Murdock's previous work contributed to this story.
David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian.
