James Anthony “Tony” Manning, 36, surrendered to the Coryell County Jail after being charged with two counts of theft of livestock, each classified as a third‑degree felony under Texas law, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Marvin Wills said. Investigators allege Manning, who worked as a day laborer for a Coryell County rancher, twice consigned parts of his employer’s cattle deliveries in his own name without authorization. The Coryell County Criminal Investigation Division assisted in the inquiry.

The immediate consequence for the rancher involved is potential financial loss and disruption of sales records. Consigning cattle—placing animals in the hands of a buyer or sale facility under an individual’s name—controls who receives proceeds and how animals are recorded in sales documents and brand inspections. When consignments are made without the owner’s permission, proceeds can be diverted and ownership records muddied, complicating recovery and insurance claims.

For Coryell County, where ranching and cattle operations contribute to the local rural economy, cases like this underscore operational vulnerabilities. Small and family ranches often run on tight margins and depend on transparent record‑keeping and trusted labor relationships. Even isolated incidents of alleged internal fraud can reduce liquidity for producers, raise transaction costs, and prompt greater scrutiny at local sale barns and feedlots. Such disruptions can ripple into local feeder markets and service providers that support ranch operations.

The charges Manning faces are serious under Texas sentencing guidelines for third‑degree felonies, which carry potential prison terms and fines. Beyond criminal penalties, civil remedies may be pursued if the employer seeks restitution for the value of the animals consigned. Investigative assistance from industry groups such as the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is intended to help law enforcement trace ownership, confirm sales records and protect brand integrity—tools that are particularly important in rural counties where formal documentation may be less centralized.

Prevention and mitigation steps that local producers often consider in the wake of similar incidents include tighter controls over consignment paperwork, more frequent reconciliation of sale receipts against herd inventories, and stricter vetting or supervision of day workers who handle transactions. Brand inspection and clear transfer documentation at point of sale remain the backbone of livestock traceability in Texas and are key to resolving disputes quickly.

The case will proceed through the county criminal justice system; no timetable for arraignment or trial has been released. For local ranchers, the episode serves as a reminder that internal controls and documentation matter as much as external market conditions when it comes to preserving the financial health of ranch operations and maintaining confidence in Coryell County’s cattle marketplace.