No prison time for man who fatally shot bald eagle in Mt. Pleasant
North Strabane man sentenced to serve two years on probation as part of plea deal
Observer-Reporter file photo
The North Strabane man who shot and killed a bald eagle in Washington County last year pleaded guilty in federal court, but won’t serve any prison time after negotiating a plea bargain with prosecutors.
Rodney Thomas pleaded guilty Monday morning to one count of violating the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act after admitting to fatally shooting the bird with a pellet gun as it soared in the skies over Mt. Pleasant Township on May 12.
During the hour-long hearing at the federal courthouse in Pittsburgh, U.S. District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand sentenced Thomas to serve two years on probation and ordered him to pay a $2,500 fine and contribute $9,800 in restitution to an animal sanctuary in Bucks County. In addition, Thomas, 51, must forfeit the air rifle used to kill the eagle and perform 50 hours of community service in a “bird-related, or wild-life related organization” as part of his probation.
In pre-sentencing court documents, Thomas told investigators that he thought the bird was a turkey vulture and he turned himself into authorities three days later when he learned it was a bald eagle.
“I want to take full responsibility. This was a terrible mistake. I swear to God I thought it was a turkey vulture,” Thomas told investigators during his interview, according to the sentencing memorandum filed Jan. 16 on his behalf.
A witness saw the bald eagle “drop from the sky” and then noticed a white SUV leaving the area following the May 12 shooting. The mature eagle was later found dead in a field near Waterdam Road a couple miles north of Hickory.
Mt. Pleasant Township police and the Pennsylvania Game Commission handled the initial investigation before transferring the case to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On July 18, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh indicted Thomas on the one misdemeanor count of violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
The charge carries up to 10 years in prison, although Thomas could’ve faced only a maximum of five years incarceration due to his lack of a criminal history. However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Melucci wrote in pre-sentencing court documents that federal prosecutors would not pursue a sentence that includes prison time. Criswell Wiegand had the ultimate discretion on the punishment and agreed to follow the terms of the plea bargain in her sentence.
Sarah Levin, who served as the federal public defender representing Thomas, did not respond to a phone message seeking comment Monday afternoon.
A few local residents attended Monday’s sentencing, including one person who spoke about how the eagle’s death impacted the community. According to Department of Justice officials, prosecutors also received several letters explaining how the situation adversely affected the community.
Bald eagles were removed from the federal Endangered Species Act in 2007, but are still protected through three other federal acts, which include the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act.