For Immediate Release: Sept. 12 , 2012
Contact: Carmen Fenton, 512-469-0171
Houston – A Houston man was arrested today by authorities after he was charged with third degree felony livestock theft.
Derrick McCoy, 43, is accused of stealing 3 head of cattle in May from the Mid Tex Livestock Auction in Navasota worth and estimated $2,000.
According to TSCRA Special Ranger Brent Mast, the auction owner contacted him to investigate after the buyer, later identified as McCoy, failed to make payment on the cattle.
Further investigations revealed that McCoy had attempted to purchase the cattle under a false identity.
McCoy is currently in custody at the Houston Police Department Central Jail on a $10,000 bond. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
TSCRA would like to thank Sgt. Virginia Brasher with the Houston Police Department for her help in arresting McCoy.
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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.