A 25-year-old man from Barry, Texas, Payton Dean Carroll, has been charged with felony second-degree cattle theft. Carroll allegedly purchased 77 head of cattle from Buffalo Livestock Marketing, Inc. using bad checks totaling over $159,000, according to a release from the Leon County Sheriff’s Department on Saturday, August 2, 2026.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Department’s Criminal Investigations Division began investigating Carroll on July 17, 2026, after receiving a report of the alleged crime. The investigation involved assistance from the Buffalo Police Department, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and Navarro County Sheriff’s Office.

Carroll’s charges stem from the alleged use of bad checks to acquire the cattle, and the sheriff’s office expressed gratitude to the agencies that aided in the investigation.

Sources

Images referenced include cattle in a field in Hamilton, Texas (June 5, 2026) by Brandon Bell/Getty Images and official images from the Leon County Sheriff's Office.