{"id":15246,"date":"2025-05-30T13:00:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T17:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/?p=15246"},"modified":"2025-05-30T13:00:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T17:00:12","slug":"virginia-man-sentenced-for-poisoning-bald-eagles-and-hawks-on-eastern-shore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/virginia-man-sentenced-for-poisoning-bald-eagles-and-hawks-on-eastern-shore\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia Man Sentenced for Poisoning Bald Eagles and Hawks on Eastern Shore"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Hallwood, Va. \u2013 A months-long federal investigation has concluded with a guilty plea from an Accomack County man who admitted to illegally killing more than 20 bald eagles and hawks on his property. According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the case began during the 2023 to 2024 waterfowl season after an anonymous tip led investigators to a pole trap near a private impoundment in Hallwood. Authorities say they found a dead juvenile bald eagle at the scene and later confirmed it had been poisoned with carbofuran, a banned neurotoxin pulled from U.S. markets in 2009. <br>Using surveillance cameras, investigators captured footage of a red-tailed hawk being trapped and fatally bludgeoned. Over several weeks, they found multiple signs of poisoned bait, including piles of fish heads surrounded by dead flies. In March 2023, the property owner, William Custis Smith, admitted to setting poisoned bait and using the trap to kill hawks and eagles, claiming they were targeting waterfowl he had lured to the area. Smith pleaded guilty in federal court in March 2025 to unlawfully taking a bald eagle. He was sentenced to one day in jail, two years of probation, 50 hours of community service, and fined $9,800. Wildlife officials say Smith knowingly violated federal law. His actions had a significant ecological impact during a vulnerable time of year for migrating birds of prey. Authorities emphasized the sentence as a deterrent against future violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"668\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-1024x668.jpg?resize=1024%2C668&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15247\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C668&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C196&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C501&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1002&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1336&amp;ssl=1 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hallwood, Va. \u2013 A months-long federal investigation has concluded with a guilty plea from an Accomack County man who admitted to illegally killing more than 20 bald eagles and hawks on his property. According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, the case began during the 2023 to 2024 waterfowl season after an anonymous tip [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bald-eagle-in-flight-katmai-national-park-alaska-2025-04-05-01-58-01-utc-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1670&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-3XU","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":66336,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/us-postal-service-unveils-bald-eagle-stamps-for-americas-250th-anniversary\/","url_meta":{"origin":15246,"position":0},"title":"US Postal Service Unveils Bald Eagle Stamps for America&#8217;s 250th Anniversary","author":"Admin","date":"May 14, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The U.S. Postal Service has introduced commemorative stamps featuring bald eagles at different life stages to celebrate America's upcoming 250th birthday. The stamps were revealed at the National Eagle Center in Minnesota and showcase the bird's journey from hatchling to adult.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;U.S. News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"U.S. News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/us-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778733820919.jpg?fit=948%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778733820919.jpg?fit=948%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778733820919.jpg?fit=948%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778733820919.jpg?fit=948%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":66057,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/chicago-welcomes-first-baby-bald-eagles-in-over-100-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":15246,"position":1},"title":"Chicago Welcomes First Baby Bald Eagles in Over 100 Years","author":"Admin","date":"May 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Two baby bald eagles have hatched in a Chicago park, marking what officials believe is the first successful wild breeding in the city in more than a century. The eaglets were discovered by bird-watchers in Park 597 along the Calumet River on the city's Southeast Side. The historic hatching comes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Science&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Science","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/science\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778689390669.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778689390669.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778689390669.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778689390669.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59121,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/eagle-nest-cameras-draw-millions-of-online-viewers-each-spring\/","url_meta":{"origin":15246,"position":2},"title":"Eagle Nest Cameras Draw Millions of Online Viewers Each Spring","author":"Admin","date":"April 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Approximately 50 bald eagle nests equipped with live-streaming cameras across the United States capture intimate moments of eagle family life. These webcams attract millions of viewers each spring as people tune in to watch eggs hatch and baby eagles develop.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Science&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Science","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/science\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54536,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/umes-hawks-softball-claims-first-conference-series-sweep-with-victory-over-eagles\/","url_meta":{"origin":15246,"position":3},"title":"UMES Hawks Softball Claims First Conference Series Sweep with Victory Over Eagles","author":"Admin","date":"April 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team secured their first conference sweep of the season. The Hawks defeated North Carolina Central 9-3 in the final game of their series.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1776631886072.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1776631886072.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1776631886072.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1776631886072.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1776631886072.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30671,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/hawks-fall-to-eagles-as-ball-control-issues-plague-umes-basketball\/","url_meta":{"origin":15246,"position":4},"title":"Hawks Fall to Eagles as Ball Control Issues Plague UMES Basketball","author":"Admin","date":"March 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team suffered a defeat against North Carolina Central University, with ball security problems proving costly throughout the contest. The Hawks' inability to protect possession hindered their offensive rhythm in the loss to the Eagles.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772511515008.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772511515008.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772511515008.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772511515008.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772511515008.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47279,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/umes-softball-falls-to-coppin-state-in-season-series-finale\/","url_meta":{"origin":15246,"position":5},"title":"UMES Softball Falls to Coppin State in Season Series Finale","author":"Admin","date":"April 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team was limited to just two hits in their final game against Coppin State. The Hawks were unable to score any runs in the shutout loss that concluded their series with the Eagles.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775334122967.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775334122967.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775334122967.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775334122967.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775334122967.webp?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15246"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15246\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15249,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15246\/revisions\/15249"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}