PORTER, Texas — A Houston-area man who shot and killed a bald eagle in his backyard and hid the wounded bird under a tarp in his garage was sentenced Friday to 14 days in federal prison and fined $5,000, federal prosecutors said.
Santos Guerrero, 43, of Porter, pleaded guilty May 14 to killing the federally protected bird. Authorities said he shot the eagle at his home on Oct. 11, 2024.
Investigators responded after receiving reports of the shooting and reviewed video showing Guerrero shoot the eagle as it sat in a tree. They later went to his home, identified the tree shown in the video and found the injured bird beneath a tarp in his garage.
Federal prosecutors said Guerrero later gave investigators false information about the shooting. The court also reviewed video and body-camera footage showing the eagle before and after the shooting.
The eagle was taken to an animal hospital, where veterinarians later euthanized it because of the severity of its injuries. A necropsy found that the bullet severely damaged one of its wings, while the fall caused liver fractures, internal bleeding and a broken leg.
Bald eagles remain protected under the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, which prohibits killing or possessing the birds without authorization. The law also protects eagle parts, nests and eggs.
Guerrero faced up to one year in federal prison and a maximum fine of $100,000. U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray sentenced him to 14 days in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Guerrero remains out on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility that has not yet been determined.