Rodney Thomas Sr., the father of Indianapolis Colts safety Rodney Thomas II, was arrested and charged for allegedly shooting and killing a bald eagle in Pennsylvania.
The accusations, outlined in federal court documents, led to Thomas Sr.’s indictment by a Pittsburgh federal grand jury for allegedly violating the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
Tuesday’s indictment stated that Thomas knowingly or wantonly took a bald eagle in mid-May by shooting and killing it with an air rifle in Mount Pleasant Township, Pennsylvania. Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, “taking” a bald eagle refers to pursuing, shooting, poisoning, wounding, killing, capturing, trapping, collecting, molesting, or disturbing the bird.
Thomas Sr. has been charged with a federal misdemeanor for violating the act and faces a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
The eagle, named “Sam” by local residents after a character from Disney’s Muppet series, was one of two that had been nesting in the area for nearly two decades. The Indianapolis Colts and Thomas II have not commented on the incident.