FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 17, 2015
CONTACT: Laramie Adams
CELL: 512-922-7328
Stephenville, Texas – A Stephenville, Texas man was arrested Tuesday and charged with misapplication of fiduciary property of over $200,000 after he stole 210 head of cattle and 30 horses from an Odessa, Texas rancher.
Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Rangers Kenny Wadsworth and Wayne Goodman led the investigation and TSCRA Special Ranger Harold Dempsey and the Erath County Sheriff’s Department assisted.
According to Goodman, the victim, a rancher from Odessa, Texas, had an injury that resulted in a life threatening blood disease, and he was not expected to live. The suspect Asher Quinn Hoxie, 38, of Stephenville, Texas and his wife told the victim they would take care of the cows and horses while the victim was unable to care for them.
The investigation, which began in March, revealed that Hoxie actually sold all of the victim’s cattle and horses in 2012, instead of taking care of them like he had promised. The total added up to 210 head of cows and 30 horses and they are all valued at over $200,000.
Wadsworth arrested Hoxie Tuesday in Stephenville, Texas and the suspect was charged with misapplication of fiduciary property of over $200,000. Hoxie is being held on a $500,000 bond and authorities are currently attempting to locate the stolen cattle and horses. More charges are expected to be filed on Hoxie.
Additionally, this is an ongoing investigation and more arrests are expected to be made.
TSCRA would like to thank the Erath County Sheriff’s department for their assistance with this investigation.
“With the teamwork between TSCRA Special Rangers and local authorities, another thief was arrested,” said Goodman. “I appreciate the Erath County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance. I always encourage ranchers to brand their cattle and report suspicious activity taking place on their property to their local law enforcement as soon as possible.”
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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 138-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 16,500 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.