An Eddy County Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested this morning for crimes related to a cattle rustling scheme with a second Carlsbad man.
Trey Thompson, of Carlsbad, an ECSO deputy, was taken into custody today, charged with two felony counts of transporting stolen livestock and two counts of unlawful disposition of animals.
His alleged accomplice, Skeeter Chadwick, 39, of Carlsbad, a convicted felon, was charged March 28 in Eddy County Magistrate Court with felony counts of transporting stolen livestock and conspiracy to transport stolen livestock, and two misdemeanor counts of unlawful disposition of animals.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the New Mexico Livestock Board (NMLB) into incidents that occurred in early February.
According to Chadwick’s criminal complaint, Chadwick contacted the NMLB on Feb. 1 stating he had taken in stray cattle found wandering on the property of another and was inquiring as to whether he could be paid for the costs incurred as a result of caring for the animals.
Over the course of their investigation, the NMLB and other agencies gathered sufficient evidence to determine the cattle had not wandered but been physically removed from one property and transported to another. The evidence included game camera photos, tire tracks, shoeprints, and fences that had been cut.
A criminal complaint for Thompson – who is currently listed as a candidate for undersheriff on the ticket of Eddy County sheriff candidate Kelly Lowe – was unavailable as of press time.
