by Daily You Newswire

TSCRA Special Ranger makes arrests

A Tyler county man was arrested Feb. 18 on three counts of felony livestock theft. Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Jimmy Belt, along with Clint Sturrock, chief deputy for the Tyler County Sheriff's Department, made the arrest.

Robert "Craig" Minton of Warren, Texas, stole 22 head of cattle and four horses on three occassions from the ranch where he worked as a foreman. He sold the cattle in late 2009, but the horses were recovered by investigators and returned to the victim.

If convicted, Minton could face up to 30 years in prison, 10 years maximum for each count.

"Cattle theft continues to be a big problem across Texas," said Belt. "Branding your cattle and registering that brand with the county and TSCRA is one of the best ways to not only prevent cattle theft, but also help recover your cattle if they are stolen."

Minton is the most recent case of cattle theft in East Texas.

Last week, Michael Terry, Onalaska, Texas, was sentenced for to 10 years in the Texas Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to stealing 55 head of cattle in 2008 from a rancher in Goodrich, Texas, as well as the trailer he transported the cattle in. The stolen cattle and trailer were worth more than $50,000. Terry was also arrested in October 2009 for stealing 10 head of cattle from a rancher in Trinity, Texas, while on bond for his 2008 theft charges.

TSCRA has 29 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.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 133-year-old trade organization. As the largest livestock association in Texas, TSCRA represents more than 15,000 beef cattle producers, ranching families and businesses who manage approximately 4 million head of cattle on 51.5 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma.

TSCRA provides law enforcement and livestock inspection services, legislative and regulatory advocacy, industry news and information, insurance services and educational opportunities for its members and the industry.

Source: Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association