For Immediate Release: Feb. 13, 2012
Contact: Marissa Patton, 512-469-0171

STILLWATER, OKLA. – A Missouri man appeared in Payne County court Monday after being arrested on Feb. 9 in Missouri on one count of obtaining property under false pretenses as a result of a three-year joint investigation. Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Rangers, the Oklahoma City Economic and Identity Crimes Task Force, which is sponsored by the U.S. Secret Service, and the Payne County Sheriff’s Office joined forces to investigate the complex case resulting in the arrest.

Donald Keith Garrett, 58, of Newton, Mo., allegedly failed to pay Perkins Livestock sales for more than 1,200 head of cattle, valued at more than $932,000, which Perkins Livestock sales purchased for Garrett in November 2008. Robb Taylor, owner of Perkins Livestock sales in Perkins, Okla., reported the case to TSCRA and the Payne County Sherriff’s Office the following December.

Lt. Santos Diaz, of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, who is assigned as an investigator for the Oklahoma City Economic and Identity Crimes Task Force, joined the investigation in June 2010. Working with TSCRA Special Rangers John Cummings and Bart Perrier, Lt. Diaz played a key role in the investigation and arrest. “The resources and dedication brought to this case by Lt. Diaz and the task force made the difference in this complex case” said Cummings.

Following his arrest Garrett was extradited to the State of Oklahoma and is currently being held at the Payne County jail in Stillwater on a $100,000 bond. The investigation into this case is ongoing.

TSCRA would like to thank the investigators and agencies involved in the joint investigation including Investigator Larry Kitchel with the Payne County Sheriff’s Office.

###

TSCRA has 30 special rangers stationed strategically throughout Texas and Oklahoma who have in-depth knowledge of the cattle industry and are trained in all facets of law enforcement. All are commissioned as special rangers by the Texas Department of Public Safety and/or the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

TSCRA is a 135 year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 15,000 beef cattle operations, ranching families and businesses as members. These members represent approximately 50,000 individuals directly involved in ranching and beef production who manage 4 million head of cattle on 76 million acres of range and pasture land primarily in Texas and Oklahoma, but throughout the Southwest.