Last of Four Defendants Sentenced in Rusk County Cattle Theft

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Charlie Long, 36, of Nacogdoches was sentenced Thursday in connection to a 2014 cattle theft case in Rusk County. His arrest and subsequent guilty plea were a result of an investigation by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Rangers.
TSCRA Special Ranger Larry Hand conducted the investigation with the assistance of TSCRA Special Ranger Jimmy Dickson, and worked with local officials to see the case through sentencing.
On Oct. 23, 2014 Long and three coconspirators—Christian Collins, Jovante Fields and Gwivonna Long, all of Nacogdoches—cut a lock to unlawfully enter the property of Jackie Risinger. The perpetrators stole four cows from the property, later selling them at a livestock auction in Athens. The cattle were recovered at the sale barn, and Hand along with local law enforcement officials began the process of tracking down the suspects. In the subsequent two-and-a-half years each perpetrator was found, arrested, convicted and sentenced for their crime.
The last of the three, Charlie Long, was sentenced on Thursday to two years in state prison plus court costs and a $75 donation to TSCRA’s Operation Cow Thief. He will be incarcerated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
“The road to justice isn’t always quick, but ultimately justice will prevail,” said Hand. “This case demonstrates the extent to which we work with our many partners in the law enforcement community for the good of Texas’ ranchers and the entire livestock industry.”
Hand and TSCRA would like to thank the Rusk County District Attorney’s Office, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office for their work on the conviction and sentencing of Long and his coconspirators.
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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 55,000 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.
For more TSCRA news releases, visit tscra.org.