Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney William N. Nettles stated today that three Orangeburg men were sentenced today by United States Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges, sitting in Charleston, South Carolina. The defendants entered guilty pleas to offenses involving the unlawful trapping and killing of migratory birds at Willcreek, a 1,790-acre tract of land in Orangeburg County owned by Willcreek LLC. Charles Williams, the registered agent for Willcreek LLC, pled guilty to 7 counts of killing Red-tailed or Cooper’s Hawks during 2013 and 2014; the remaining defendants were each named in a single count. Trapping and killing hawks without a permit is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act under Title 16, United States Code, Section 703.