A Cisco man was arrested Jan. 12 on a charge of felony theft of livestock in the case of a horse stolen from a rancher in Mason County. The investigation was led by TSCRA Special Rangers Mike Barr and Wayne Goodman with assistance from TSCRA Special Ranger Gary Baros.
Barr said he met with the victim in Mason County to discuss the theft of a horse worth approximately $15,000. An investigation led to suspect Bradley Williams, 49, who was located at his mother’s residence in Cisco.
After making several attempts to interview the suspect, Goodman eventually made contact with Williams on Nov. 17, 2015. During an interview, Williams told Goodman that his ex-wife was awarded the horse as part of a divorce settlement and his son had been using the horse to rope on at the Youth Finals Rodeo.
Further investigation revealed that Williams had claimed ownership of the horse and sold part ownership to three different victims; however, Williams actually never owned the horse.
After receiving an arrest warrant from the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, Goodman located Williams again on Jan. 12 in Cisco. Goodman advised the suspect that a warrant had been issued for his arrest on charges of theft of livestock less than $100,000. Goodman arrested Williams and transported him to the Eastland County Jail where he was held on a $20,000 bond.
The horse was located in Victoria and was returned to the victim in Mason County.