United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a man from Volga, South Dakota, has been sentenced for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The sentencing was carried out by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange of the U.S. District Court on January 13, 2025.
Joe Hofer, aged 52, received a sentence of one year of federal probation, a $1,200 fine, and was ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hofer was indicted in July 2024 by a federal grand jury for violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024.
Serving as the Farm Boss for the Cambridge Hutterian Brethren (CHB) in Lake County, South Dakota, Hofer used CHB farm equipment in November 2023 to remove trees on CHB-owned property. During this process, he destroyed an active eagle nest without obtaining the required permit under federal law.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges handled the prosecution.