A Starr County man is facing two felony charges. Special Rangers say he sold cattle that were not his. The cattle came off a ranch that belonged to a woman named Ignacia Gutierrez. She had already died when the cattle went missing.
Arthur Frederick Flores was arrested June 30 at the Starr County Jail. He faces two counts of theft, each a third-degree felony. That charge can mean two to ten years in prison. By the following week, he was no longer listed as an inmate at the jail, records show. It is not clear what bond he paid or if he has hired a lawyer.
The case started in February. Executors of the Gutierrez estate called Special Ranger Joe Aguilar Jr. with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. They said someone was taking cattle off the ranch without permission. The land sits about 15 miles north of Highway 83, off Loma Linda Road in Starr County. A witness saw riders on horseback, plus ATVs, trucks, and trailers on the property. Game cameras caught the same thing on video.
Texas calls loose cattle that wander onto someone else's land "estray" cattle. State law says anyone who finds estray cattle must report them to the sheriff. Court papers say Flores never made that report.
Aguilar's investigation found a group of cowboys working for a man named Augustine Becerra. Becerra told Aguilar that Flores hired him to catch cattle on land Flores said was his own ranch. Flores let Becerra in through a gate on Pipeline Road.
Court papers say Flores knew better. He gave Becerra a map that showed his real property line. Text messages show Becerra knew that gate led onto land that was not Flores's ranch. Becerra never passed that warning on to the cowboys working under him. Becerra also let someone pull out a right-of-way gate, which let equipment onto the estate ranch.
The cowboys made several trips to the property. On October 22 and 23 of last year, they caught three bulls. They hauled the bulls to the Edinburg Livestock Auction in Hidalgo County. One bull died at the sale barn. The other two sold two days later for $6,503.65. After fees, Flores got a check for $4,007.69.
The cowboys went back more times after that. Some trips came up empty. Court papers say several head of cattle died from exhaustion during those failed attempts.
On January 31 of this year, the cowboys caught and sold nine more head at the same auction house. That sale brought in $15,393.90. Flores got a check for $10,286.45 after fees. Becerra got $2,700 for catching and hauling the animals.
In all, 11 head of cattle were taken from the ranch and sold. Court papers say Flores admitted he knew the cattle were not his.
Cattle theft is an old problem in South Texas ranch country. Land can run for miles without a fence in sight. Herds cross property lines on their own. Special Rangers with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association investigate cases like this across the state. They work with local sheriffs to track livestock sold without the real owner's OK.
Court papers say Becerra broke the law too. Investigators have probable cause to charge him with theft and criminal trespass. He entered land he knew was not Flores's. He let cowboys work it without warning them. As of this story, no arrest has been reported for Becerra. El Tejano could not confirm whether charges against him have been filed.
Both warrants in the case were signed by a judge with the 381st District Court in Starr County. The case remains open. El Tejano will update this story as new information comes in. That includes Flores's bond status, whether he has hired a lawyer, and any action against Becerra.