U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana
Last fall we covered the sentencing of Travis John Branson – the Washington state poacher who turned the Flathead Indian Reservation into his personal "killing spree" playground, slaughtering hundreds of eagles and hawks for black-market feathers. That story went on to paint a grim picture involving the 49-year-old man admitting to conspiracy and trafficking charges under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. For his actions, he was handed 46 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a whopping $777,250 in restitution – a price tag that U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich quipped was far steeper than the cost of a bullet.
Despite the heavy-handed sentencing, federal investigators weren't done digging around and managed to widen their seemingly ever-expanding web. According to details released just this week, a Texas man by the name of John Patrick Butler has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly buying and reselling those very eagle parts in what is turning out to be one of the largest poaching rings in U.S. history.
The Thread That Binds: From Reservation Kills to Texas Shipments
Between 2015 and 2021 (with some reports tracing back to 2009), Branson and his fugitive accomplice, Simon Paul, 42, from St. Ignatius, Montana, lured bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and a variety of other raptors to poached deer carcasses the men used as bait. As the birds would begin picking at their newfound meal, the men would shoot the birds mid-feast, butcher them on-site, and ship feathers, tails, and whole carcasses via U.S. mail to eager buyers.
Updated reports now indicate that prosecutors believe the duo has killed over 3,600 birds in total, raking in upwards of $360,000 in illicit cash. The brazen operation included Branson texting photos of his hauls, joking about "committing felonies" while targeting young golden eagles for their prized white-and-black wing feathers, coveted in Native American ceremonies despite legal (and free) alternatives currently being bogged down by federal backlogs.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana
Enter John Patrick Butler: According to the August 2025 indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Montana, he was a key player on the demand side. Court docs reveal Butler allegedly paid Branson and Paul via PayPal and wire transfers, receiving dozens of packages labeled as innocuous "craft supplies" or "animal parts." In return, Butler was rewarded with high-demand eagle feathers and mounts, which Butler then flipped on the black market for profit. Text exchanges cited in the filing show Branson boasting to Butler about fresh "killing sprees," with one message reading: "Just got 10 more tails – yours if you want 'em."
"The killing of eagles is fueled, in whole and in part, because purchasers will buy the eagles on the black market,” the federal court filing stated. “John Patrick Butler was one of those purchasers, and he requested the killing of specific types of eagles."
Paul, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal member who helped source the birds on reservation lands, skipped his January 2024 court date and still remains at large, with a $5,000 bounty currently attached to information about his whereabouts. Branson, meanwhile, is serving his time, but his cooperation is likely what has since cracked the case wide open, leading authorities straight to Butler's doorstep.
Felonies That Could Clip More Than Wings
Butler faces a laundry list of felonies that echo Branson's including conspiracy to violate the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles, migratory bird trafficking along with Lacey Act violations for interstate wildlife trade.
If convicted on all counts, Butler is staring down a potential 20 years behind bars and fines north of $250,000. His arraignment is currently pending, but sources close to the case say the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is treating this as a test case for dismantling similar buyer networks that fuel poaching.
"This operation wasn't just about a couple of guys with guns," Laslovich reiterated in recent statements. "It was a commercial enterprise preying on our national symbol. Butler's role shows how demand drives destruction – from Montana fields to Texas doorsteps."
