Stervenson Benjamin, 28, of West Palm Beach, Florida, has been charged with a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, for allegedly capturing, possessing, and transporting a great horned owl on March 16, 2015 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) jointly investigated the violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act after the suspects posted a video of themselves on Facebook holding an apparently stunned or injured Great Horned Owl while driving a car in West Palm Beach, Florida, at approximately 2:00 a.m. on or about March 16, 2015.
Federal Wildlife Officer William Calvert served the violation notice on March 29, 2015, to Stervenson Benjamin, who was driving the car. The case will be handled by U.S. Department of Justice Southern District of Florida and the first appearance court date will be set later.
The Great Horned Owl is a protected species and Benjamin’s take, capture, possession, transportation and carrying of the owl was in violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 703(a) and 707(a). That violation is a Class B Misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to six months in jail, up to $15,000 fine, and up to one year of probation or supervised release.
No jail time is being sought by the Department of Justice.
The Service wants to thank the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) officers for their initiation of the joint investigation which resulted in these charges.
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