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Hudson Hunter Pleads Guilty To Killing Eagle

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TBO.com

Published: March 5, 2009

Jesse Tyrone Barresse was duck hunting with two friends and a child near a Ruskin duck pond when he spotted a bald eagle soaring overhead.

Barresse pointed his 12 gauge shotgun and fired, killing the eagle.

One of his friends confronted Barresse, who later bragged about his feat.

This morning, Barresse, 32, of Hudson, pleaded guilty to a federal charge of taking a bald eagle, a misdemeanor, which carries up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine.

According to Barresse' plea agreement, investigators with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interviewed him in February 2008 about the Jan. 13, 2008, shooting. At first he denied being responsible and said he'd heard his friend's son had shot the eagle. Then Barresse said he'd wounded an osprey.

Finally, he admitted shooting the eagle.

Investigators later found the bird's carcass. They also found six shotgun shells near where Barresse had been standing.

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