Published: August 31, 2006 08:57 am      

NCSO corrals cattle thieves

Men suspected of theft valued at about $100,000

Navarro County Sheriff’s Lt. Jimmy Johnson and Capt. Elmer Tanner had a little beef with some cattle thieves and as a result two suspected criminals are behind bars.

Jerry Wayne Lambert, Jr. and William Joe Alexander turned themselves in after deputies obtained warrants for the pair.

Johnson said the two worked for Charles Cline, a rancher who raises Registered Angus cattle.

In early June, an informant told deputies that two employees of Cline were selling cattle right underneath his nose.

“We were told (Alexander and Lambert) were keeping the proceeds,” Johnson said.

Johnson then called the Texas Southwest Cattle Ranchers Association and began the process of catching the pair.

In all, 77 head of cattle were stolen from Cline. Johnson and Tanner estimate the total worth of the cattle to be in the neighborhood of $100,000.

Lambert and Alexander both face charges of livestock theft, a third degree felony.

Lambert turned himself into authorities on Aug. 24 and Alexander turned himself in Aug. 30. Both remain in custody in lieu of a $25,000 bond a piece.

“The whole department helped out on this case,” Tanner said.

Registered Black Angus cattle sell between $1,200 and $2,500 a head, Tanner said.

“Cattle rustling is not just an old west thing,” Chief Deputy Mike Cox said.

Tanner said both of the suspects gave confessions to selling over 10 head of cattle, which should be enough to garnish an indictment.

The pair began selling Cline’s cattle in October 2005. Their last sale was completed on June 15 of this year.

Lambert is a Navarro County native and Alexander hails from Oklahoma.

Cattle theft in Navarro County is on the rise, Tanner said.

The captain estimated the number of reported cattle thefts in the last three months is more than the number reported in the last three years combined.

“Just like dope dealers and anyone else who breaks the law, we will catch you,” Sheriff Les Cotten said. “The deputies have done a very good job.”

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AJ Narasimhan can be reached via e-mail at ajn@corsicanadailysun.com