Florida Man Fined $50 for Attempting to Topple Eagle’s Nest During Storm
A Florida man was ordered to pay a $50 fine and $10,000 in voluntary restitution after pleading guilty to attempting to destroy an active bald eagle nest, federal court records show.
Denver Miller was sentenced on January 21, 2026, in the Middle District of Florida for a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. According to court documents, Miller pleaded guilty to attempting to take a bald eagle nest in October 2024.
Prosecutors said Miller attempted to partially cut down a tree containing an eagle nest during a storm, hoping the high winds would complete the work and bring the structure to the ground. The tree, however, remained standing despite Miller’s efforts.
In addition to the nominal $50 fine, Miller paid $10,000 in voluntary restitution to The Audubon Society Eagle Watch Program, a conservation initiative dedicated to monitoring and protecting eagle populations in the region.
The charge stemmed from Title 16, Section 668 of the U.S. Code, which prohibits the taking, possession, or destruction of bald or golden eagles or their nests without a permit.
Louisiana Man Accused of Polluting Nation’s Largest Urban Wildlife Refuge, Trial Set for May
Federal prosecutors have charged a Louisiana man with dumping pollutants into Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, causing damage to the sprawling 30,000-acre wetland ecosystem on the edge of New Orleans, court records show.
Bryant Brown was charged on February 12, 2026, in the Eastern District of Louisiana with depredation of government property and violating the Clean Water Act. His trial is scheduled to begin May 4, 2026.
According to the charging documents, Brown discharged pollutants into the refuge between March and June 2025, resulting in more than $1,000 worth of property damage to the federally protected land. The specific nature of the pollutants was not detailed in the initial court filing.
Bayou Sauvage, located within the city limits of New Orleans, is recognized as the largest urban wildlife refuge in the United States. The refuge encompasses nearly 30,000 acres of critical freshwater and brackish marsh habitat that serves as a buffer against storm surge and provides sanctuary for hundreds of bird species, alligators, and other wildlife.
The charges fall under Title 18 U.S.C. § 1361 for destruction of government property and Title 33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(2)(A), which addresses negligent violations of the Clean Water Act’s pollutant discharge provisions.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Trafficking Hundreds of Protected Box Turtles Bound for China
A Mississippi man who shipped more than 500 native three-toed box turtles to New York for export to China has been sentenced to probation and fined $3,000 for violating federal wildlife trafficking laws.
Jeffrey Budziszewski was sentenced on February 9, 2026, in the Southern District of Mississippi after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge under the Lacey Act, which prohibits the interstate sale of wildlife taken in violation of state law. U.S. District Court records show Budziszewski will serve a one-year term of probation in addition to the fine.
According to court documents, between June and July of 2020, Budziszewski illegally collected and sold three-toed box turtles in contravention of Mississippi state law. He then shipped the reptiles to New York, where they were intended for export to China.
Prosecutors detailed that Budziszewski sent approximately 70 separate shipments containing an estimated 500 to 600 box turtles. The domestic market value of the trafficked reptiles was placed at $72,000.
Three-toed box turtles are native to the south-central United States and are often targeted for the international pet trade and traditional medicine markets. The Lacey Act, codified under Title 16 of the U.S. Code, makes it a federal crime to transport wildlife taken in violation of state regulations.
New Hampshire Woman Sentenced in Interstate Cockfighting Ring; 76 Roosters Seized from Training Operation
A New Hampshire woman who raised and trained roosters for illegal cockfighting events and transported them across state lines to North Carolina has been sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine, federal prosecutors announced.
Jennifer Scott was sentenced on February 9, 2026, in the District of New Hampshire after pleading guilty to one count of attending an animal fighting venture. In addition to the fine, Scott will complete a one-year term of probation, according to court records.
Federal law prohibits any person from knowingly sponsoring, exhibiting, or attending an animal fighting venture under Title 7, Section 2156 of the U.S. Code. The charge was brought in conjunction with Title 18, Section 49, which addresses animal fighting ventures involving interstate travel.
According to court documents, Scott used her New Hampshire property as a breeding and training ground for gamefowl. Prosecutors said she repeatedly transported roosters to North Carolina with full knowledge that the birds were destined for illegal cockfighting competitions.
When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Scott’s property, they uncovered evidence of an active training operation. Investigators seized sparring muffs—leather or plastic coverings placed over roosters’ natural spurs during training—as well as a sparring aid device designed to provoke aggressive behavior in the birds.
The inventory of seized animals included 76 roosters, 84 hens, 260 juvenile chickens, and an egg incubator used to sustain the breeding operation.
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