For Immediate Release
January 12, 2017
Contact: Laramie Adams
Cell: 512-922-7328

Lubbock, Texas – Two Hopkins County suspects were arrested Jan. 2 and charged with burglary after stealing at least 13 saddles from victims in Leon, Hopkins, Titus, Taylor and Lubbock counties.

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Dean Bohannon led the investigation. TSCRA Special Rangers Brent Mast and Toney Hurley assisted.

Bohannon received a call from authorities about the stolen saddles on Dec. 30, 2016. Bohannon was told the suspects were identified as Jeffery Wayne Horton, 54, Sulphur Springs, Texas, and Jamie Kay Shobert, 49, Alamogordo, New Mexico. Bohannon was told the suspects were most likely driving a silver or white SUV and they might be located at Shobert’s father’s house in Spur, Texas.

Bohannon contacted Dickens County Sheriff Terry Brawley to ask if he knew of the Shobert family. Brawley said he did know of the Shobert family so he drove by the suspect’s father’s house and found a white Chrysler SUV parked in the front.

On Jan. 2, Bohannon received a call from a worker at a Lubbock feedlot stating that a subject came to the feedlot and tried to sell him and other workers some saddles for $500 each. The feedlot worker said the subject was driving a Chrysler SUV and had multiple saddles in the back.

Bohannon asked the feedlot worker to call the subject and ask if he could bring the saddles back to the feedlot for him to buy. The feedlot worker placed the phone call and the subject agreed to bring the saddles to the feedlot.

Bohannon contacted local authorities and they stationed down the road from the feedlot. When the subjects arrived, Bohannon confirmed they were Horton and Shobert and he arrested the suspects. Horton and Shobert were transported and placed in the Hopkins County Jail in Sulphur Springs. The vehicle they were using was also seized, and 13 saddles have been recovered. This is an ongoing investigation and more saddles may be recovered.

“This case provides an excellent example of teamwork and the role is plays in seeking justice for victims of theft,” said Bohannon. “Because I worked closely with local officials and my fellow Special Rangers throughout this investigation, we were able to make two arrests and recover many stolen saddles. We will continue working to recover the other saddles that may be missing. I sincerely thank all who were involved throughout this investigation.”

TSCRA would like to thank Brawley, Lubbock County Cpl. Donnie Rogers, Lubbock County Deputy Cody Stark, Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum and Hopkins County Investigator Dennis Findley for their assistance in this investigation.

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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 140-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 17,500 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.