Charges mount for LA man accused of cattle theft in Texas

QUITMAN, Texas — Justin Glenn Thompson, 40, of Hineston, Louisiana, was arrested Wednesday on a felony cattle theft indictment out of Cass County, Texas.
Special Rangers of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Wood County deputies made the arrest at the Wood County Courthouse. Thompson was booked and later released on a $40,000 bond.
Thompson was previously arrested in Louisiana and extradited to Texas on three cattle theft indictments in Wood County. The latest brings his total to four, with more possible.
All four current indictments are the result of an ongoing six-month investigation by Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Rangers and Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Brand Inspectors.
The latest indictment goes back to April when TSCRA Special Rangers Bo Fox and Larry Hand met with a Cass County rancher who sold cattle to Thompson. According to Fox, who led the Cass County investigation, the rancher was led to believe Thompson was purchasing cattle on behalf of a bonded feeding operation in Louisiana, Strain Feeders.
Thompson purchased and took possession of more than $56,000 in cattle in December 2018. He paid the rancher with a personal check, but it was returned due to insufficient funds. Thompson wrote two additional checks, both of which also bounced.
The rancher finally contacted Strain Feeders and was informed that the cattle Thompson picked up at his Cass County ranch in December were repossessed due to non-payment for cattle purchased by the rancher from Strain Feeders.
The investigators found reason to suspect that Thompson falsified invoices to Strain Feeders showing he sold the cattle to the victim when he had not. Thompson then purchased cattle from the victim under false pretenses. Investigators believe Thompson falsified information to earn additional compensation from Strain Feeders.
TSCRA would like to especially thank Special Rangers Bo Fox and Larry Hand, LDAF Brand Commission Inspectors Scott Perry and Jessie Bellard, the Cass County District Attorney’s Office, Wood County District Attorney’s Office and Wood County Sheriff’s Office for their tremendous contributions to the investigation and subsequent indictments.
If convicted on all four charges, Thompson could face 32 years in prison, up to $40,000 in fines, and restitution to the victim.
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