Three Men Plead Guilty To Violating Endangered Species Act After Killing Louisiana Black Bear

MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) — Three men have pleaded guilty to violating the Endangered Species Act after killing a Louisiana Black Bear.

U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent in Charge Luis Santiago said Friday that Travis Butler of Meridian was sentenced Feb. 28 to five years of probation, with five months of home confinement for violating the act and obstructing a federal investigation.

Authorities also sentenced David Wimberly, of Quitman, and Chester Williams of Toomsuba, for assisting in the killing that occurred in January 2014.

Wimberly and Williams each received one year of probation, a $1,000 fine and a one-year probation from hunting. Williams also was sentenced to four months of home confinement.

The Endangered Species Act has been a critical safety net for imperiled plants and wildlife for more than four decades, preventing more than 99 percent of the species listed from going extinct. In addition, the Act has helped to move many species from the brink of extinction to the path to recovery, including the American alligator, Florida panther, bald eagle, brown pelican and gray whale.

Source: Associated Press