A Nebraska man who fatally shot a bald eagle in February with the intention of eating it was sentenced to time served on Tuesday, KOLN-TV reported.
In March, Domingo Zetino-Hernandez, 21, of Guatemala was convicted of violating the 1940 Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act after admitting he and another man had killed a bald eagle and intended to eat it, according to KETV.
The second man involved in the case, Ramiro Hernandez-Tziquin, also from Guatemala, remains at large, and is believed to have fled the area after a warrant was issued for his arrest, KOLN-TV reported. Hernandez-Tziquin might currently be living in Nebraska or Texas, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Police Charge Two Men With Killing Bald Eagle, Say They Planned To Eat It)
A man has been sentenced after authorities say he shot and killed a bald eagle in northeast Nebraska with the intention to eat it. Meanwhile, authorities are still looking for a second man involved in the case. https://t.co/8fxy5wbP9d
— abc27 News (@abc27News) November 16, 2023
On Feb. 28, deputies from the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office were alerted to the presence of a suspicious vehicle at the Wood Duck Wildlife Management Area, KOLN-TV reported. After deputies inspected the vehicle and spoke to both men, Zetino-Hernandez confessed that he had shot a bald eagle and put it in the trunk of his car, according to a sheriff’s office press release.
At the time, Zetino-Hernandez and Hernandez-Tziquin were cited for unlawful possession of the eagle, according to the press release, with Hernandez-Tziquin receiving an additional charge for having no driver’s license.
Zetino-Hernandez, who pleaded guilty in August and had been in custody until Tuesday, is subject to removal proceedings with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, KCAU-TV reported.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking information related to Hernandez-Tziquin’s current location and may give a reward for information leading to his arrest, KOLN-TV noted.