Little Rock, Arkansas – Following his conviction for the bald eagle killing, an Arkansas man was given a federal probationary term and was also required to pay fines.
According to a press statement from the Western District of Arkansas United States Attorney’s Office, Christopher Lane Shackelford, 20, of Magnolia, was given a two-year probationary term on June 15 with the first 60 days being spent in home confinement. Shackelford will also have to pay $2,025 in fines and restitution for the crime of encouraging the taking of a bald eagle.
According to court records, on January 16, 2022, officers from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission were dispatched to Lake Columbia in the El Dorado Division of the Western District of Arkansas.
When the police arrived, they encountered a witness who informed them he had been duck hunting with his kids when he saw a Bald Eagle fly above them. He claimed to have observed Shackelford killing the Bald Eagle.
The observer then observed Shackelford bringing the bird back from the sea. Shackelford originally denied shooting the Bald eagle when officers approached him. Later, he admitted to doing it to the police.
Anyone with information about violations of wildlife offenses is asked to contact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at (833) 356-0824, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in Conway, AR, at (501) 513-4470, or text their report to TIP411 (847411). It is noted in the announcement that there may be fees.
The Public Access to Electronic Records website contains related court records.
Bald eagles are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, according to the press release. The maximum criminal consequences for breaking these laws are up to $250,000 in fines and/or two years in federal jail.