On September 11, 2015 The Lamar County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a livestock owner in the Northeast part of Lamar County regarding missing livestock from his pen locations.
The Complainant reported 10 head of heifers that had been taken from the pens. A short distance from the pen location two of the missing heifers were found running loose on the roadway with abrasions and cuts appearing to have possibly jumped or fell from a moving trailer.
Sheriff Detectives and a Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger, Toney Hurley, investigated the cattle theft and found where two of the missing heifers had been checked into the Friday Hugo Livestock sale barn in the Hugo, Oklahoma.
The heifers sold in the Hugo Sale was quickly located and positively identified as belonging to the complainant.
The two heifers were checked in for sale on September 11, 2015 under the name of Harold Duane Fleming (pictured). The complainant positively identified the missing heifers by his brand and photographs of the cattle taken by Ranger Hurley.
A warrant issued out of the Lamar County District Attorney’s Office was gained and Harold Duane Fleming, 59, was arrested for felony Theft of Livestock.
Detectives in the case are still actively searching for the remaining six (6) missing 750lb heifers belonging to the complainant. They are mostly black, but there could be some red or gray in this bunch. They are branded on the left upper hip with a “K”.
If you have any information on this theft please contact the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers at 903-785-TIPS.
Fleming remains in the Lamar County Jail on 50,000.00 bond. Investigation is continuing.