{KXLG – Volga, SD} Joe Hofer, 52, of Volga, South Dakota, has been sentenced in federal court for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The sentencing, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange of the U.S. District Court, took place on January 13, 2025.
Hofer received one year of federal probation, a $1,200 fine, and was ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A federal grand jury indicted Hofer in July 2024, and he subsequently pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024.
As the Farm Boss for the Cambridge Hutterian Brethren (CHB) in Lake County, Hofer used CHB farm equipment in November 2023 to remove trees on CHB property. Unbeknownst to Hofer, one of the trees contained an active eagle nest, which was destroyed in the process. Taking down an eagle’s nest without a permit is a violation of federal law.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
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