For Immediate Release: March 22, 2012
Contact: Marissa Patton, 512-569-0171
SPEARMAN, TEXAS – An Elgin, Okla., man has been charged for the alleged theft of 27 head of cattle from a Hansford County feed yard. Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Ben Eggleston led the investigation along with the help of Special Rangers Harold Dempsy, Austin Green, Brent Mast and Hal Dumas.
Jason Mark Anderson, 35, of Elgin, Okla., was arrested Mar. 13 and charged with theft of livestock for allegedly stealing 27 steers from U.S.A. Feedyard in Gruver, Texas. His indictment in the case had been handed down six days prior by a Hansford County Grand Jury.
Anderson was held at the Hansford County Jail in Spearman, Texas, and bonded out on bail of $15,000.
According to Eggleston, Anderson used his own semi-truck to transport the cattle to the Oklahoma City Stockyards where he sold them to Custer and Custer Livestock Commission Company. The cattle were later recovered at Hitch Feeders in Hooker, Okla.
Theft of 27 head of cattle is a third degree felony. If convicted, Anderson could face up to 10 years in prison and/or up to a $10,000 fine.
TSCRA would like to thank the Hansford County Sheriff’s Office and the Comanche County Sheriff’s Office for their involvement 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 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.