A federal judge has imposed a $9,500 fine on Robert Garner Gambill, a 91-year-old resident of Sparta, North Carolina, for the illegal killing of a bald eagle. The announcement was made by Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. As part of the sentence, Gambill is also required to surrender his firearm.
The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act mandates that a portion of the fine be allocated to two witnesses who provided information leading to Gambill's conviction. This provision is intended to encourage public cooperation in upholding wildlife protection laws.
Douglas Ault, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement in the Southeast Region, joined Cameron in announcing the court's decision.
Court documents reveal that on June 5, 2024, Gambill used a Ruger M77 Mark 2 22-250 rifle equipped with a Nikon Monarch MR31 4x16-42 scope to shoot and kill a bald eagle perched near Farmers Fish Camp Road Bridge in Sparta. Afterward, he left the scene without retrieving the bird's carcass from the bank of the New River. Two witnesses reported the incident, which led to an investigation by USFWS officers who recovered and examined the carcass. A necropsy confirmed that it had been killed by gunfire from a high-powered rifle.
Gambill pleaded guilty on October 11, 2024, to unlawfully taking a bald eagle—a crime under federal law since Congress enacted protective legislation in 1940. The current version of this law prohibits hunting or harming eagles without authorization from the U.S. Secretary of Interior.
Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron praised USFWS investigators for their work on this case and acknowledged assistance from both the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Armstrong from Charlotte.
For those needing immediate help with fishing or hunting violations or wishing to report other wildlife crimes, contact information for relevant authorities has been provided: https://www.fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips or call 1-844-397-8477.