From staff reports

A Lucedale man has been jailed and fined for killing a Mississippi black bear, a species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and protected by the state as a rare and threatened animal.

Darryl Eubanks pleaded guilty in October to killing a black bear while deer hunting in south Mississippi in 2007, and began serving a 30-day sentence on Jan. 6. U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett also handed down a $5,000 fine to Eubanks, and he also will have to pay $10,000 restitution to the Bear Education and Restoration Group of Mississippi. Eubanks is prohibited from hunting for one year, and he was also sentenced to perform 50 hours of community service at a wildlife refuge. 

“Anyone involved in the illegal killing of Mississippi black bears, protected by the Endangered Species Act, will be vigorously pursued by state and federal agents,” said Robert T. Oliveri, Resident Agent in Charge with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After conducting numerous interviews, investigators learned that Eubanks shot and killed the black bear in 2007, then cut the paw off the bear and showed it to several people. Later, Eubanks loaded the bear remains in a trailer and dumped it in the woods.

Although he later denied any knowledge of his role in killing the bear, evidence was presented to a federal grand jury and Eubanks was indicted in May.

He was charged with killing the black bear in violation of the Endangered Species Act, transporting the black bear in violation of the Lacey Act, giving a false statement to federal agents in connection to the investigation and obstruction of justice for tampering with a material witness to a federal investigation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agents and Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Conservation Officers arrested Eubanks shortly thereafter.

Black bears were given statewide protection in Mississippi in 1932 because there were estimated to be less than twelve remaining in the state.

The black bear was included on the Mississippi’s first list of rare and threatened animals in 1974, and in 1992 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared the Mississippi black bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.