Howes Man Fined $10,000 for Killing Bald Eagle

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — A western South Dakota man avoided jail time but must pay more than $10,000 for killing an eagle.

Federal prosecutors say 42-year-old Cody Weyer, of Howes, pleaded guilty to unlawful taking of a bald eagle and was sentenced to a year of probation, a $500 fine, $10,000 in restitution and $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The case started Jan. 21 when a South Dakota Game Fish and Parks officer responded to a complaint of dead deer in Meade County. While looking for the carcass, the officer found a dead adult bald eagle in a bull pasture leased by Weyer, who acknowledged killing the bird.

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