Clint Clifford Sicking, 41, from Muenster, Texas, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for his involvement in a livestock theft scheme. The announcement was made by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to his prison term, Sicking must serve two years under court supervision and pay $406,707 in restitution to the victims.
The case involved cooperation among several agencies: the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), the United States Secret Service Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office, and sheriffs from Cleveland and Iredell Counties.
According to court documents and proceedings, between April 2018 and October 2022, Sicking conspired with William Dalton Edwards to defraud livestock markets in Iredell and Cleveland Counties. The two men purchased cattle using checks they knew were not backed by sufficient funds. They then transported the cattle out of state before financial institutions or sales barns could discover the checks were worthless.
After moving the stolen cattle out of North Carolina, Sicking and Edwards resold them in Texas and Oklahoma. Over this period, they fraudulently obtained more than 750 head of cattle, resulting in losses exceeding $400,000 for North Carolina family-owned sales barns. These businesses suffered significant financial harm because they are required to pay farmers and ranchers immediately after each sale.
Sicking pleaded guilty to conspiring both to defraud the United States and to violate federal laws. Part of their scheme included efforts that hampered oversight by the Packers and Stockyard Division of the USDA regarding fair livestock market operations.
Sicking remains free on bond but will be ordered to report to federal prison once a facility is designated. His co-conspirator Edwards was previously sentenced to 24 months for his role in the scheme.
Russ Ferguson acknowledged the investigative work done by USDA-OIG, U.S. Secret Service, IRS-CI, as well as local sheriff’s offices involved in solving this case. He also thanked Stanly County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
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