FORT WORTH, Texas — Hildago County resident, Erasmo Anguiano, was arrested for Criminal Mischief on Oct. 2. The charges filed are the result of an investigation led by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Joe Aguilar Jr.

In September, Special Ranger Aguilar received a call from a rancher in Hildago County reporting damages to fences at ranches along Wallace Road in northern Mission.

During an investigation, Aguilar learned the ranch manager caught Anguiano removing portions of fencing at the ranch and reported seeing a roll of fence line the bed of Anguiano’s work truck. When approached about the theft, Anguiano claimed an unknown person asked him for help to remove the fence. Anguiano could not identify the person.

Further investigation determined that Anguino stole fencing from other victims at night while working as a canal rider at the local irrigation district.

Anguiano confessed to the crimes and was arrested on October 2, 2023, and booked at the Hidalgo County Jail with a $7,500 bond.

Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s special rangers are an elite group of law enforcement officers who have extensive knowledge of the cattle industry. While they primarily investigate cattle theft and other agricultural crimes, they are well-trained in all facets of law enforcement. In all, the association has 30 Special Rangers stationed throughout Texas and Oklahoma who are commissioned through the Texas Department of Public Safety or Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The Special Rangers also oversee more than 80 market inspectors who collect data, such as brands and other identifying marks on about 5 million cattle sold at 100 Texas livestock markets each year. That information is entered into the association’s recording and retrieval system, which is a vital tool for law enforcement when investigating theft cases. For more news releases and information, visit tscra.org.

–Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association