Livestock and Politics in Liberty County
LIBERTY, December 20, 2009 - Our world seems to get stranger by the minute and so much of it is due to a lack of education and reason.
As we reported earlier this year Sheriff Henry Patterson dismantled a model livestock program at the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office going back to the old practice of utilizing Contract Cowboys to handle estray livestock in Liberty County.
See related article…
This article published on October 23, 2009 explains the relationship between Sheriff Patterson’s two major campaign contributors and the Contract Cowboys.
In an article written by Cleveland Advocate reporter Melecio Franco, Franco reports on the actions of a Liberty County Sheriff’s Deputy and Contract Cowboy Chance Ward.
According to Franco's article, Ward related a story of how they dealt with a livestock owner whose livestock had gotten out before.
Franco states in his article, “The livestock owner was written a citation by a Liberty County Precinct 4 deputy for allowing livestock to roam free. The animals were seized and taken to Raywood where they will be held until the owner pays the impound fee. If it is not paid in the 18-day period, that fee comes from the auction proceeds.”
There is nothing wrong with writing a livestock owner a citation for allowing their livestock to roam free.
You see Chance Ward, the deputy nor Franco seem to understand the estray livestock laws of the state of Texas and none of them realize or report that what they did amounts to theft.
The estray livestock laws of Texas state that if the livestock owner is known, then the livestock must be returned. If you don’t know the owner of the livestock, then you may impound the livestock and attempt to locate the owner.
In this case the livestock owner was known. If not, then how were they able to write the owner a citation?
Franco published this story without even realizing that those involved are actually admitting to a criminal act. They (Ward and the Deputy) under the authority of the Liberty County Sheriff knowingly took a private citizen’s property and held it for ransom in exchange for its’ return. The actors involved don’t even realize they are admitting to a criminal act, and Franco is publishing it in a newspaper as though this were common practice.
Meanwhile in the December 8, 2009 meeting of the Liberty County Commissioners Court, Contract Cowboys charged the taxpayers another $3,745.00 for their services.
According to the Steve Green of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department the County is now in need of additional Contract Cowboys to handle estray livestock and is currently seeking applicants for this job.
Franco has moved on, taking a leave of absence from the Cleveland Advocate to pursue a career in politics.
Melecio Franco, a graduate of Lone Star College, with, to our knowledge never serving in any public capacity of any kind and resident of New Caney, Texas is running for Congress against incumbent Kevin Brady.
See http://www.francoforcongress.com
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