For Immediate Release: July 24, 2013
Contact: Carmen Fenton, 512-673-3906
Brenham, Texas – A Washington County man was arrested Tuesday by authorities after he was charged with third degree felony cattle theft.
Boysie Deleon Cole, 18, allegedly stole a small calf from a Washington rancher. The victim’s neighbor reportedly witnessed Cole taking the calf from its mother Tuesday, July 16. The neighbor notified the victim who reported the calf stolen to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Doug Hutchison.
Later that day, authorities received an anonymous tip that Cole had sold a calf at the Caldwell Livestock Commission Co. Hutchison immediately notified the sale barn who stopped the sale until the calf could be identified. The victim positively identified the calf as the one he was missing. The calf was returned to the ranch where a video recording was taken of the calf’s release. It immediately paired up with its mother which proved its identity.
According to Hutchison, Cole is a suspect in other cattle theft investigations in the area.
“This is a great example of neighbors looking out for neighbors and reporting suspicious activity,” said Hutchison. “We were able to act quickly on this case because of the diligence of the victim and his neighbor.”
Cole is currently in the Washington County jail on a $25,000 bond. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
TSCRA would like the thank Washington County Sheriff’s Investigator Damon Wegner, Washington County Sheriff Otto Hanak and the Caldwell Livestock Commission Co for their assistance with the investigation.
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TSCRA has 29 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 136 year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 16,000 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.