Kaenon Constantin was sentenced at the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in Lafayette by Magistrate Judge Patrick J. Hanna.

Constantin received five years’ unsupervised probation. During this time, he must complete 360 hours of community service with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Constantin’s hunting privileges were revoked until he can complete his community service. He also was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution to LDWF.

Constantin pled not guilty on Jan. 21 to a misdemeanor violation of the Lacey Act for transporting an endangered species as defined under the Endangered Species Act and agreed to a trial before a magistrate judge. In June, Constantin agreed to change his plea to guilty at the hearing today.

He and a juvenile accomplice shot two Whooping Cranes in May 2016 in Acadia Parish, Louisiana. Upon discovering color bands and transmitters on the one individual whose carcass they were able to retrieve, Whooping Crane L5-15, Constantin and his accomplice used a kitchen knife to separate the legs from the bird’s body and threw the transmitter in a crawfish pond in attempt to hide the evidence of their crime, in violation of the Lacey Act, a federal law that bans trafficking in illegal wildlife.

During sentencing, Judge Hanna said, “I think these birds are basically priceless,” but asked that Constantin pay for one of the two birds he shot. Judge Hanna repeatedly said he was upset at the loss of the birds, and the fact that Constantin attempted to cover up the shooting and involved his juvenile nephew in his crime made the situation much worse. The judge also expressed disbelief that anyone could shoot a Whooping Crane without knowing that it was something they weren’t supposed to shoot. Judge Hanna said he would have given Constantin jail time under normal circumstances, but that prisons in Louisiana are already overcrowded and dangerous due to the pandemic. Read more