For Immediate Release: 
December 6, 2016
Contact: Laramie Adams
Cell: 512-922-7328

Carmen, OK- A Woods County man was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of knowingly concealing stolen property from two victims from Pottawattamie County, Okla.

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association(TSCRA) Special Ranger Brett Wellden conducted the investigation.

During the late summer of 2015, Wellden received information about several cattle thefts in the Woods County area.  Investigations were opened into each of the thefts, however there were no viable leads at the time.  In October of 2016, Wellden received information about the thefts which led him and deputies from the Woods County Sheriff’s Office to a residence outside of Carmen, Okla.

Wellden and Woods County Undersheriff Keith Dale spoke with the resident, Todd James Cunningham, 40, Carmen, Okla., who was identified as a suspect in the cattle thefts.  Cunningham gave Wellden and Dale consent to inspect several vehicles on the property.  A 2014 Ford F350 pick-up truck with a Hydra-Bed as well as a 2010 Cub Cadet mower were located on the property and identified to have previously been stolen from Pottawatomie County. Cunningham was taken into custody and the stolen property was seized.

Cunningham was arrested Monday and transported to the Woods County Jail where he was booked and held in lieu of bond. Charges were presented to the Woods County District Attorney’s Office.

Wellden would like to thank the Woods County Sheriff’s Office, specifically Undersheriff Keith Dale and Deputy Chase Bouziden, for their assistance in this case.

The cattle theft investigation continues and more charges and arrests are anticipated.

“Through the teamwork with local law enforcement, we were able to arrest another thief,” said Wellden. “I look forward to continuing to work with officials in the area to finalize this investigation and make sure justice prevails.”

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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 139-year-old trade association and is the largest and oldest livestock organization based in Texas. TSCRA has more than 17,000 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.