October 26, 2016
Trey Joseph Frederick, 19, pleaded guilty to killing two endangered whooping cranes last January and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $25,815 in restitution in a federal court Tuesday morning.
Frederick also was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service with either the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department or the United States Fish and Wildlife Service by U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn in the Eastern District of Texas.
At the hearing, Frederick said he did not know the birds were whooping cranes and regretted shooting them.
Judge Hawthorn said he had taken into consideration that Frederick had no previous arrests,but said he felt that Frederick “had no rhyme or reason to (shoot the birds) other than to do it.”