MARLIN, Texas — Reid A. Gathings, 35, was convicted of Theft of Livestock, a third-degree felony, Thursday in connection to a 2016 cattle theft case in Falls County. His arrest and subsequent conviction were the result of an investigation by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Rangers. TSCRA Special Ranger Marvin Wills conducted the investigation.

On Feb. 1, 2016, Wills was contacted by the victim, who notified him that 17 head of cattle were stolen from a Falls County pasture. Fortunately, the cattle were branded and the victim also provided information on a possible suspect.

Wills, following up on the lead, identified Gathings as having sold 17 head of cattle at the Waco Livestock Commission Company, in Waco, Texas for more than $14,000. Wills obtained an arrest warrant and Gathings was taken into custody by then District Attorney Investigator Ricky Scaman on Feb. 12, 2016. Scaman is now the Falls County Sheriff. Gathings subsequently posted bond awaiting trial. In conjunction with his arrest, Wills recovered five head of stolen cattle and seized two pistols, a laptop and $5,000 in cash that were obtained from the sale of the stolen cattle.

Gathings was convicted by the 82^nd District Court in Falls County, Texas on May 4, 2017, with State District Judge Robert Stem presiding over the trial. He will be sentenced May 9, 2017.

“I would like to thank the Falls County District Attorney’s Office, especially District Attorney Jody Gilliam, Assistant District Attorney John Redington, as well as Sheriff Ricky Scaman and the Waco Livestock Commission Company,” said Special Ranger Wills. “Their dedication and hard work ensured that justice was served in this case.”

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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 140-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 17,500 beef cattle operations, ranching families and businesses as members. These members represent approximately 55,000 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.