Perrin man pleads guilty to scamming cattle marketing agency

Tony Eugene Lyon, 52, of Perrin, pleaded guilty Nov. 4 to a federal charge of wire fraud after his arrest in July 2015 for scamming a Nebraska based cattle marketing agency. TSCRA Special Ranger John Bradshaw led the investigation, with assistance from TSCRA Special Ranger Wayne Goodman and FBI Special Agent Frank Super.
Bradshaw said the cattle marketing agency had received an order from the victim to buy some steers in 2015. The agency contacted Lyon to supply the steers. After the victim wrote a $798,000 check to the marketing agency, Lyon received a check from the agency for $791,000.
The victim then went to Lyon’s property in Perrin to look at the steers, and it was decided that the cattle would be turned out on a wheat pasture and Lyon would take care of them until they could be shipped. When the victim returned later in 2015 to check on the steers, Lyon admitted he didn’t have the steers  because he had to sell them to take care of prior obligations.
Lyon pleaded guilty to wire fraud and will owe $5.1 million in restitution to the cattle marketing agency and the victim. He will be sentenced in the upcoming months.