From staff reports A 60-year-old Stuart, Oklahoma, man was arrested Jan. 8 by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers Cody Hyde and Gavin Gatrell.
Darrel Bernard Morris now faces 83 felony charges of larceny of livestock for unlawfully selling cattle owned by his employer.
The investigation began in December 2024 after Hyde received evidence and witness statements indicating that Morris, the manager of a ranch in Hughes County, Oklahoma, had stolen 83 yearling cattle between January 2023 and December 2024 from the ranch.
According to investigators, Morris transported the stolen cattle to several livestock auctions where he sold them for more than $108,000.
He was arrested at his residence on felony charges.
In Oklahoma, stealing livestock can result in a prison sentence of 3–10 years and/or a fine of up to $500,000 per offense. The penalty depends on the type of livestock stolen and its value.
The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association thanked to the Hughes County District Attorney’s office for their joint efforts in this investigation to successfully bring this case to prosecution.