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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2003

A New Mexico man who pleaded guilty to selling eagle feathers and violating federal repatriation law was spared jail time by a federal judge.

Joshua Baer, who owns a gallery, was instead given three years of probation and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. He must also pay $675 in court costs.

Pueblo tribal and spiritual leaders called the sentence a sham. Although federal prosecutors plan to repatriate the items, they say they may be too damaged to use again.

Get the Story:
Judge Hands Gallery Owner Probation (The Santa Fe New Mexican 1/13)

Relevant Links:
The Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act - http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/baldegl.html
Migratory Bird Treaty Act - http://www.usbr.gov/laws/mbta.html

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