The United States Department of Justice

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News releases are available at www.usdoj.gov/usao/ks/press.html

Contact: Jim Cross
PHONE: 316-269-6481
FAX:      316-269-6420

May 20, 2008

CATTLEMAN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Kevin Russell Thompson, 40, Richmond, Kan., was sentenced Monday to 5 years in federal prison for stealing livestock.

Thompson pleaded guilty in April 2007 to one count of theft of livestock. In his plea, he admitted, he fraudulently sold more than $1.3 million worth of cattle during March 2002 through December 2003 while he was doing business as WNK Cattle Company of Richmond, Kan.

In his plea, Thompson said that WNK Cattle Company was a cattle pre-conditioning lot providing pasture areas to cattle owners for grazing cattle to increase the weight of the livestock before sale. Facing financial pressures, Thompson admitted, he sold cattle entrusted to him without authorization from the owners or sold cattle and did not forward the proceeds to the owner. He sold cattle at sale barns in Fredonia, Kan., Springfield, Mo., and Carthage, Mo.

The following businesses and individuals were victims of the crime: Tailgate Cattle Company of Wauneta, Neb.; Riffel Cattle Company of Stockton, Kan.; Rafter B. Cattle Company of Shattuck, Okla.; R+ Cattle Company of Sublette, Kan.; Hammer Farms of Sublette, Kan; Cattle Empire of Satanta, Kan.; Hemme Ranch of Perry, Kan.; Morris Cattle Company of Harrison, Ark.; Walter Krier of Shawnee, Kan; and Kevin Krier of Parkville, Mo.

U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas Brand Inspection Agency and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask for their work on the case.