A Beaver County man and a Lawrence County man have been found guilty of unlawfully killing migratory birds.
The U.S. Department of Justice says 52-year-old Robert Yost of New Galilee and 27-year-old Jacob Reese of Enon Valley “conspired to kill migratory birds” that were on farmland owned by Yost, using carbofuran, a restricted-use pesticide.
The two spread corn coated in the pesticide in a leased field use to grow soybeans. The birds ate it and were found a short distance from the field.
The field was also accessible to children.
Yost and Reese tried to hide the evidence by destroying the feed bags.
The two also lied to the PA Game Commission.
In total, 17 Canada geese, 10 red-winged blackbirds and one mallard duck died from the poisoning.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 29. Both face 13 months in prison and a fine of $31,000.
“Robert Yost and Jacob Reese used corn laced with an extremely toxic, banned pesticide to poison over two dozen migratory birds,” said U.S. Attorney Olshan. “The defendants’ indiscriminate criminal conduct also put the safety and health of the farm’s neighbors—including small children and a man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease—at risk. Protecting wildlife and the people who live in our communities from the illicit use of dangerous chemicals is, and will remain, a priority of this office and our dedicated partners in state and local law enforcement.”