Agricultural News
Two Oklahoma Men Arrested for Cattle Theft
Mon, 18 Apr 2016 18:08:37 CDT
Two Oklahoma men were arrested Monday in Beckham County and charged with larceny of domestic animals and knowingly concealing stolen property after stealing a total of 22 cattle from an Oklahoma rancher and a Texas Rancher.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Ben Eggleston led the multi-state investigation, involving multiple different law enforcement agencies.
The first suspect, Colby Ryan Smith, 25, Carter, Okla., also has an outstanding warrant out of Wheeler County Texas for theft of livestock. The second suspect, Ryan James Guidry, 26, Sayre, Okla., was arrested for his involvement in the theft and charged out of Beckham County for larceny of domestic animals.
Eggleston said the investigation began in October 2015 when a victim reported he had 8 head of cattle missing from his ranch in Wheeler County Texas. The investigation revealed Smith turned 8 head of cattle out on a Beckham County rancher's pasture without permission. The cattle were branded with an "E" on its side, making it easy to identify the cattle indeed belonged to the victim who called in October 2015. These cattle were recovered and returned to the victim.
In November 2015, Eggleston received a call from the Woodward Livestock Auction. She advised the second suspect, Guidry had brought 10 head of heifers to the auction to be sold and Guidry was waiting in the parking lot for his check. The Woodward Livestock Auction employee was suspicious because Guidry was waiting around outside of the sale barn and calling to pick up the check for cattle that had not even sold yet. Eggleston received a call from the second victim saying he had 14 head of cattle missing. Eggleston said the description of the cattle matched the cattle that Guidry had taken to the livestock auction. After investigating, authorities were able to positively identify the cattle as 10 of the 14 head stolen from the victim.
The investigation revealed the cattle Guidry took to the sale were stolen by Smith. Guidry told authorities that Smith raised the cattle and they belonged to him. Both suspects were arrested Monday and taken to the Beckham County Oklahoma Jail. Additional charges are expected to be filed against these suspects.
TSCRA would like to thank the following authorities and agencies for working as a team throughout this investigation: Agent Paul Cornett, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Captain Brandyce Rozell, Beckham County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Scott Jay, Beckham County Sheriff's Office, Wheeler County Texas Sheriff's Office, Washita County Oklahoma Sheriff's Office, Roger Mills Oklahoma Sheriff's Office, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma District 2 Narcotic Task Force and Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Source: Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
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