Clint Clifford Sicking, a 41-year-old resident of Muenster, Texas, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for his involvement in a cattle theft scheme. The sentencing was announced by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term, Sicking will serve two years under court supervision and must pay $406,707 in restitution to those affected by his actions.
The case involved cooperation among several agencies, including the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA-OIG), United States Secret Service’s Charlotte Field Office, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Charlotte Field Office, as well as sheriff’s offices 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—also known as sales barns—in Iredell and Cleveland Counties, North Carolina. During this period, Sicking and Edwards purchased cattle using checks they knew would not clear due to insufficient funds. They then transported the cattle out-of-state before financial institutions or sales barns could discover that the payments were invalid.
After moving the cattle out-of-state, Sicking and Edwards resold them in Texas and Oklahoma. The fraudulent activities resulted in more than 750 head of cattle being obtained illegally and caused over $400,000 in losses for family-owned sales barns in North Carolina. These businesses are required to pay farmers immediately after livestock is sold.
Sicking pleaded guilty to conspiring both to defraud the United States and violate federal laws. One aspect of their conspiracy aimed at interfering with the Packers and Stockyard Division of the USDA’s regulation efforts regarding fair livestock markets.
Currently released on bond, Sicking will be ordered to report to federal prison once a facility is designated. His co-conspirator Edwards previously received a sentence of 24 months in prison for his role in the scheme.
Russ Ferguson acknowledged multiple agencies for their investigative work: “In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the USDA-OIG, the U.S. Secret Service, IRS-CI, and the Cleveland and Iredell County Sheriff’s Offices for their investigation of the case.” He also thanked the Stanly County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
