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LINCOLN — A Macy man charged with killing a bald eagle is arguing in federal court that prosecutors have greatly overvalued the bird at $10,000.

Lamar Bertucci said the eagle he shot in February is worth only about $2,000.

The Lincoln Journal Star reported that the bird’s worth could make a difference in Bertucci’s sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jan Sharp said that in federal cases, the costlier the crime, the longer the time.

Bertucci pleaded guilty this year to shooting a bald eagle and a rough-legged hawk near Macy, crimes that carry up to 30 months in prison and $350,000 in fines.

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