Justice For Wildlife: Washington Man Charged In Alleged Killing Of Bald Eagle
A Washington state man is facing federal charges after authorities allege he illegally shot and killed a bald eagle, a species protected under federal law.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, 66-year-old Benjamin G. Allen of Brush Prairie has been charged in connection with the death of a bald eagle that was discovered on February 5, 2026, in Clark County.
The investigation began after officers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to a report of a dead bald eagle on a rural property. A witness reportedly heard a gunshot earlier that day, prompting authorities to investigate the bird’s death.
Court records state that Allen kept chickens on his property, which was located near where the eagle was found. Following the investigation, special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interviewed Allen regarding the incident.
A veterinary examination later determined that the eagle died after two shotgun pellets were found in its brain, according to federal authorities.
Allen has been charged with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, two federal laws that help protect bald eagles and other native migratory birds from unlawful killing and other prohibited activities.
He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on September 8, 2026. If convicted, the charges could carry penalties that include prison time and substantial fines.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, with prosecution being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Once pushed to the brink of extinction in the contiguous United States due to habitat loss, hunting, and the widespread use of the pesticide DDT, the bald eagle has made a remarkable recovery through decades of conservation efforts. Although the species was removed from the federal Endangered Species List in 2007 following decades of successful conservation efforts, bald eagles continue to be protected under federal law.
The unlawful killing of protected wildlife undermines decades of conservation progress. Strong enforcement of federal wildlife protection laws plays an important role in helping safeguard one of America’s most iconic species for future generations.
