Man handed jail sentence over disturbing YouTube video featuring a baby hawk
The birds are protected under California and federal law
It was always inevitable that social media would drive people to do wild and often questionable things in the battle for attention, but some don't realize quite how dangerous their actions can be, leaving them in trouble with the law.
That's what happened when one aviation fanatic was arrested for intentionally crashing a plane – despite the video on YouTube being presented as a miraculous escape – and several other major streamers have become trapped in 'jail hell' in foreign countries over their antisocial behavior.
While perhaps not quite as extreme as those examples, another California man has been handed a prison sentence alongside a fine for a video he recently shared on the social media platform, as he not only captured a baby hawk but used it in an unethical and illegal activity.
As shared by Dexerto, 25-year-old Cesar Gustavo Diaz has recently been sentenced in Los Angeles County Superior Court on an animal cruelty charge, after a video showed him force feeding an alcoholic beverage to a juvenile Cooper's hawk that he'd captured at Amelia Mayberry Park in South Whittier.
Advert
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) became alerted to Diaz's actions after he shared the video, and five search warrants were executed alongside the assistance of detectives from LASD Operation Safe Streets.
Diaz was already a convicted felon for unrelated charges, and this recent stunt has landed him in even bigger trouble as he now faces prison time.
"On Feb 19, 2026, Diaz entered a no-contest plea to the animal cruelty charge," explained a Facebook post from CDFW. "He was sentenced to 12 months of summary probation, 45 days in Los Angeles County Jail (with credit for time served), 20 days of community labor, completion of a 24-session animal cruelty counseling program, five-year prohibition on possessing animals, ten-year firearm prohibition and payment of $220 in fines and fees."
Part of the issue came from the fact that Cooper hawks are specifically protected under both California and federal law, meaning that Diaz's actions – which involved capturing, harassing, and harming the animal – were considered to be a serious offense.
The post indicated that Diaz released the hawk before CDFW were able to intervene, and there has been no indication of its condition following the incident with many in the comments below expressing their concern.
"That hawk's life is worth more," argued one commenter, with another asking: "Is there an update on the hawk? Where is it now? Rehab?"
A third chimed in with a similar question, enquiring: "Do we know if the hawk survived alcohol poisoning? I don't think alcohol is able to be digested by birds. It can be fatal to dogs and cats. Even eating bread dough can cause alcohol poisoning."