Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services (FWES) has laid dozens of charges against five people following extensive investigations into poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking, including activities tied to the Eden Valley First Nation.
Among those charged is Simon Paul, a fugitive from Montana who was wanted in the U.S. for killing and trafficking birds of prey. Investigators say Paul had been living in Alberta and was connected to both the Stoney Nakoda and Eden Valley First Nations through local contacts.
According to FWES, reports surfaced in November 2024 that Paul was actively killing eagles on Stoney Nakoda and Eden Valley lands and selling wildlife products. Undercover officers later purchased a bald eagle feather headdress, black bear claw necklaces, and a raptor talon dance stick from Paul and his associates.
The five accused, Paul, Teresa Snow and Eli Snow of Morley, and Calgary residents James Brittain and Sophia Soriano, face 34 charges under Alberta’s Wildlife Act and nine under the Criminal Code. Their alleged activities include unlawful hunting and trafficking of wildlife, as well as careless firearm storage.
A separate investigation in the Cochrane area this spring also linked Paul and Eli Snow to the shooting of eagles and hawks. Search warrants turned up freshly removed eagle parts, feathers, blood, and unsecured firearms.
Provincial officials called the case one of the most significant recent crackdowns on poaching in Alberta.
"Poaching is a crime that robs our province of wildlife that is central to the lives and livelihoods of many Albertans," said Mike Ellis, Alberta’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services.
The RCMP and Tsuut’ina Nation Police Service assisted the investigation.