Federal criminal charges have been filed against a Washington state man whom authorities allege fatally shot a bald eagle in the head on his rural property, authorities said.
Benjamin G. Allen of Brush Prairie in Clark County, Washington, was charged Tuesday with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and unlawfully killing a migratory bird, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
If convicted of the misdemeanor charges, Allen could face up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, the statement said.
ABC News could not reach Allen for comment on Wednesday. It was unclear if Allen has hired an attorney.
The 66-year-old Allen “is accused of shooting and killing the bird with a shotgun,” according to the statement.
The incident occurred on Feb. 5, 2026, when a witness reported hearing a gunshot coming from Allen’s property, the statement said.
“According to records in the case, special agents from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife were called to the property in Brush Prairie regarding a dead eagle with blood around its head,” according to the statement, which further said that agents interviewed Allen about the deceased eagle and “his actions that day.” The statement did not disclose what Allen may have told the agents.
“Allen kept chickens not far from where the dead eagle was discovered,” the statement noted, adding that an exam by a veterinarian concluded the eagle died from two shotgun pellets found in its brain.
Allen has been summoned to appear in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Washington, on Sept. 8.
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