A Hugo, Okla., man was arrested and charged with larceny of livestock on Friday, April 10, for stealing cattle on two occasions from Watkins Ranch, Madill, Okla.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Bart Perrier led the investigation and TSCRA Special Ranger Troy McKinney assisted.
Perrier says the suspect, Robert Don Covington, 34, was an employee of the Watkins Ranch at the time of the theft.
Covington is alleged to have stolen three calves from the Watkins ranch on Sunday, March 22, and transported them to Atoka, Okla., where they were sold the following day for $2,648.81. Covington is alleged to have then stolen two more calves from the Watkins ranch on Saturday, March 28, and again transported them to Atoka where they sold for $1,466.93.
Covington had been arrested for unrelated charges and he is being held at the Marshall County jail in Madill. Covington was arraigned on Friday for the larceny of livestock charge and bond was set at $35,000.
Two of the stolen calves have been recovered. Authorities believe a second suspect was involved in at least one of the thefts. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests and multiple charges in multiple counties are expected.
TSCRA would like to thank the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Investigator David Barnes for his assistance in this investigation.