Canonsburg man indicted on charges of shooting bald eagle
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Jul. 18—A Canonsburg man has been indicted by a federal jury, charged with shooting America's national bird this past spring in Mount Pleasant in Washington County.
Rodney Thomas, 50, was charged with violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, accused of shooting and killing a mature bald eagle with an air rifle around May 12.
Pennsylvania Game Commission wardens found the eagle along Water Dam Road, near Cherry Valley Dam in Mount Pleasant.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of a year in prison, a fine up to $5,000 or both.
"A symbolic species such as the bald eagle deserves our protection," said Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh. "My office, along with the U.S . Attorney's Office, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Mt. Pleasant Police Department worked diligently coordinating with each other to identify and charge the individual responsible and bring him to justice."
The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782.
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .
