A Washington man and his guiding company have been indicted for conspiring to violate U.S. wildlife laws by illegally transporting hunted birds across the U.S.-Canada border. The indictment, returned by a Seattle grand jury, charges Branden Trager, 46, of Brush Prairie, Washington, and his company, Mayhem Services LLC, with conspiracy and violating the Lacey Act.
Between August 2022 and January 2023, Trager and his company are said to have led three hunting groups in Canada targeting the harlequin duck, a species that is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Although Washington prohibited harlequin hunting for the 2022-2023 season, some limited hunting was still permitted in British Columbia. Trager faces allegations of illegally transporting hunters across the border, misrepresenting his activities as hunting with friends, and collaborating with a Canadian taxidermist to illegally ship the hunted birds back to the United States, breaching U.S. law.
The charges stem from the Lacey Act, which prohibits transporting wildlife illegally taken under foreign or domestic laws, and the MBTA, which regulates migratory bird hunting to ensure sustainability. If convicted, Trager and his company face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Under a provision of the Lacey Act (18 U.S.C. 42), any importation of injurious wildlife into the United States or its territories or possessions must be authorized under a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In addition, for any injurious specimens listed in the code of federal regulations (50 CFR 16), transport between the continental United States, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States by any means whatsoever must be authorized by the Service.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement, with support from Homeland Security Investigations and other state and provincial agencies. An initial court hearing is set for January 23.
An indictment is simply a claim. Every defendant is considered innocent until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
