SEAGOVILLE, Texas — The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) announced the arrest of two individuals wanted in connection with a multi-state ATV theft ring spanning Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
SEAGOVILLE, Texas — The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) announced the arrest of two individuals wanted in connection with a multi-state ATV theft ring spanning Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
Arrested were brothers 32-year-old Christopher Brandon Garcia of Balch Springs, Texas, and 33-year-old Dustin Kyle Garcia of Mesquite and Scurry, Texas.
According to the TSCRA, the brothers were arrested earlier this month at the Seagoville Inn in Seagoville, Texas, after authorities received a tip from an informant who called the Lake County Crime Stoppers.
Both were charged with organized criminal activity and taken to the Hopkins County Jail in Sulphur Springs, Texas, on $400,000 bonds.
The two were allegedly part of a multi-state ATV theft ring which struck a Nor-Tex Tractor Supply store in Sulphur Springs in November 2015. Police recovered six stolen ATVs, totaling $74,000, from the Nor-Tex theft.
The Nor-Tex theft was linked to several other thefts in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. In total, authorities have recovered 14 ATVs in Kemp, Seagoville, Terrell, Scurry, Dallas, Balch Springs, River Oaks, Sulphur Springs, and Deville, Louisiana.
“This is an ongoing investigation and additional arrests are expected in this case,” stated the TSCRA in a release. “Authorities are continually receiving information from multiple jurisdictions on related criminal activities as far as eastern Tennessee.”
The five Kaufman County residents arrested were 35-year-old Joshua Christopher Terry, 30-year-old Laronda Kay Reed, 38-year-old James Lindy Minter all of Kemp, Texas, 35-year-old Ricardo Saldivar of Combine, Texas, and 35-year-old David Paul Rockwell of Terrell, Texas. All face charges of organized criminal activity.
Also arrested were 35-year-old Darrell Wayne Waites of Deville, Louisiana, and 42-year-old Ben Wheeler of Balch Springs, Texas.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department had said in early February they were also searching for 29-year-old Christopher Lee Chambers of Mabank, Texas.
“We are continuing to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement authorities on this investigation and are glad to have two more thieves arrested,” said Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Toney Hurley. “This theft ring primarily targeted dealerships – not individuals. However, this serves as an important reminder for everyone to lock-up equipment and report suspicious activity to local law authorities.”
Locally, the Forney Police Department, Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, Seagoville Police Department, Mabank Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Dallas Police Department, Athen Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety are credited with assisting in the investigation.
