Department of Agriculture and Forestry, State of Louisiana - Mike Strain DVM, Commissioner

Louisiana Livestock Brand Commission inspectors arrested a Natchitoches Parish man Oct. 6 on livestock theft charges, Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., said.

James W. Kelly, 55, 174 Marie Street, Natchitoches, was arrested for theft of livestock by “withholding payment from the sale of cattle.”

Kelly was arrested after he sold a calf birthed by a stray cow that had wandered into Kelly’s pasture in Jan. 2011.

The legal owner of the stray informed Kelly that his pregnant cow was in Kelly’s pasture and asked permission to retrieve the cow. Kelly promised to return the stray at a later date when he penned his herd for maintenance. 

The calf’s mother was eventually returned to the legal owner in Sept. 2011 but Kelly allegedly sold the young calf at an Aug. 2011 auction.

Kelly allegedly did not remit the proceeds of the calf’s sale to the rightful owner.

Strain said the Sabine Parish and Natchitoches Parish sheriff’s offices assisted in the investigation that led to Kelly’s arrest.

Kelly was booked at the Red River Parish jail and posted bond.

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