A North Richland Hills man faces felony charges for stealing 144 head of cattle from two North Texas ranchers, authorities said Friday.
An investigation spanning nearly a year found that Jerry Dean Kulow, 56, stole nearly $98,000 worth of livestock, according to the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, or TSCRA.
Kulow worked as a ranch foreman for one of the victims who is a rancher in Boyd, Texas.
At the direction of the ranch owner, Kulow sold about 95 head of cattle at auctions in Cleburne. However, investigators said profits from the auctions never made it back to the original owner.
A second victim found that cattle were disappearing from his property in Boyd, Texas. His property bordered the ranch Kulow managed and was only divided by a shallow stretch of the Trinity River, according to a statement by the TSCRA.
Dozens of the missing cattle were found on separate properties in Wise county, and several are believed to have been sold at auction, the statement said.
Kulow was taken into custody after confessing to the crimes.
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Investigators said $98,000 plus an additional $3,000 allotted to build a fence between the two properties, remained unaccounted for, the statement said.
Kulow is held on two $10,000 bonds and was charged with third degree felony theft of livestock and second degree felony theft of livestock from the elderly by Wise County prosecutors.
