WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A West Palm Beach man has been charged in the attack of a great horned owl that was caught on camera, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday.
Stervenson Benjamin, 28, was served a violation notice Sunday in connection with a video that was posted on Facebook. It showed two men holding what appeared to be an injured owl while in a moving car in the early morning of March 16.
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A joint investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission found the men violated the Migratory Bird Treat Act, which prohibits the capturing, possession, and transportation of the owls.
FWC officials believe Benjamin was the man seen in the video driving the car with the owl in his lap. The other man has not been identified.
The charge is considered a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to six months in jail. up to a $15,000 fine, and up to one year of probation or supervised release. In Benjamin's case, no jail time is being sought.
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