2 South Dakota Men Plead Guilty to Killing Bald, Golden Eagles

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Two South Dakota men have recently pleaded guilty in separate cases dealing with the illegal killing of birds.

Fifty-one-year-old Jeffery Jessop, of Presho, pleaded guilty to killing at least three federally protected bald and golden eagles and at least 15 hawks on his Lyman County ranch over a period of three years.

U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson says Jessop was sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation and ordered to pay more than $56,000 in restitution.

Twenty-two-year-old Jaron Anderson, of Brookings, pleaded guilty to illegally killing 65 geese in Miner County last year. He faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine when he is sentenced on Aug. 19.

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