For Immediate Release
Aug. 30, 2010

Contact: Carmen Fenton
512-469-0171|512-673-3906

FORT WORTH, TEXAS –  A Garza County man turned himself into authorities Wednesday after admitting to stealing between 30 to 35 head of cattle from a Randall County rancher on two different occasions. TSCRA Special Ranger Dean Bohannon led the investigation along with TSCRA Special Ranger Harold Dempsey.

Noel Ken Young, 46, was charged with two third degree felonies. Bond was set at $50,000 per charge. Young bonded out Wednesday.

If convicted, Young could face up to ten years in prison for each charge and/or up to a $10,000 fine.

Bohannon noted that Young was caught because he sold branded cattle.

“The number one way to protect your cattle is to brand them,” said Bohannon “Because the victim’s cattle were branded and that brand was registered with TSCRA, we were able to trace the sale records back to Young.”

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 market inspectors aid the special rangers by collecting brands and other identifying marks on 4 to 5 million cattle sold at 115 Texas livestock markets each year.

Market inspectors report their findings to TSCRA’s Fort Worth headquarters, where the information is entered into the nation’s largest brand recording and retrieval system. This database is the first source checked when a special ranger receives a theft call.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 133-year-old trade organization. As the largest and oldest livestock association in Texas, TSCRA represents more than 15,000 beef cattle producers, ranching families and businesses who manage approximately 4 million head of cattle on 51.5 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma. TSCRA provides law enforcement and livestock inspection services, legislative and regulatory advocacy, industry news and information, insurance services and educational opportunities for its members and the industry. 

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