Six hour sentence for killing endangered hawks

A South Jersey man was sentenced to six hours in prison today for killing protected hawks in his Somers Point residential neighborhood.

Robert Losasso, 70, previously pleaded guilty to six counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty act. During his plea hearing, Losasso admitted that he fatally shot, or tried to kill red-tailed, sharp-shinned, red-shouldered and Cooper's hawks on multiple occasions. Losasso, who also admitted he did not have a permit to hunt the birds, which are protected under federal and New Jersey state law, prosecutors said.

The hawks fly every year from Canada along the Atlantic Flyway through the Garden State.

In addition to the six hours in prison, U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion sentenced Losasso to 18 months of supervised release during which he is forbidden to possess any firearm. Losasso will also pay $4,350 in restitution and be required to perform 60 hours of community service at a wildlife facility.