Orangeburg Attorney, Three Others Sentenced for Killing Hawks at Hunting Preserve
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – On Monday, Orangeburg attorney Charles Williams was fined $75,000 and must perform community service in connection with trapping and killing hawks without a permit.
United States Attorney William N. Nettles said Williams, 66, and the three other defendants in the case John Dantzler, 66; Jimmie Aiken,57, and Alejandro Renteria Noyola, age 56, were sentenced by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges. T
The defendants entered guilty pleas to offenses involving the unlawful trapping and killing of migratory birds at Willcreek, a 1,790-acre tract of land in Orangeburg County owned by Willcreek LLC.
Authorities say, Williams, the registered agent for Willcreek LLC, pled guilty to 7 counts of killing Red-tailed or Cooper’s Hawks during 2013 and 2014; the remaining defendants were each named in a single count.
Trapping and killing hawks without a permit is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act under Title 16, United States Code, Section 703, and carried a maximum prison term of six months and a fine of up to $15,000, or both, for each count of conviction.
Judge Hodges fined Williams $75,000, imposed 50 hours of community service at a birds-of-prey center, and banned him from hunting for a year. Aiken and Dantzler were each fined $1,000 and were also banned from hunting for a year.
