NEWS

Mississippi Man Arrested for Theft of Livestock in LaSalle Parish

September 23, 2022

For Immediate Release:              
September 23, 2022

Contact:
Jennifer Finley, Press Secretary – 225-922-1256
Megan Moore, Public Information Director – 225-935-2179
presssecretary@LDAF.la.gov

Mississippi Man Arrested for Theft of Livestock in LaSalle Parish

BATON ROUGE – A Mississippi man was arrested on September 21 by agents with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture in Copiah County, Mississippi. The arrest was a result of a warrant from LaSalle Parish, LA, regarding an investigation conducted by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission.

Thirty-four-year-old John Colter Pyron of Hazlehurst, MS, was arrested in Copiah County on a warrant for Theft of Livestock. The arrest was a result of an investigation by the LDAF Brand Commission. On September 22, Pyron waived his extradition to Louisiana. The bond has not yet been set.

During the investigation, it was determined that Pyron received a horse from the owner and agreed to sell the horse for a set price in December 2021. The investigation revealed that Pyron failed to sell the horse at the set price, and upon his failure to do so, the owner requested the horse returned. The result of the investigation was that the owner of the horse was never paid the predetermined set price, and Pyron failed to return the horse. The acquisition of the livestock and failure to render proper payment is a violation of R.S.14:67.1 (Theft of Livestock).

Pyron was arrested earlier this year by the Livestock Brand Commission on a similar complaint in another parish.

“We are seeing more and more violations and complaints of this nature,” said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M. “People are turning to the power of the internet to help sell their livestock but are finding themselves the victim of untrustworthy sellers. Louisiana law is specific when dealing with the purchase of livestock and protects livestock owners from persons not complying with proper payment, even when it comes to internet sales. I encourage anyone trying to sell their livestock through a third party online to get multiple references before entrusting them with your animals.”

The Livestock Brand Commission was assisted in this investigation by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.

The Livestock Brand Commission maintains a 24-hour Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 558-9741 for the public to report thefts.

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