Charges not yet filed in cattle import

by Cat Urbigkit

Sublette County Attorney Ralph Boynton said in an interview Wednesday morning that charges have not yet been filed in the case of a Utah cattle broker allegedly responsible for importing 920 head of cattle into Sublette County without import permits or health certificates.

Boynton said he’s met with Wyoming Livestock Board investigator Kim Clark to review what further investigative work needed to be conducted before charges should be filed. Boynton said, “You investigate fully, then you file the case,” rather than continue to investigate and file chargesas the case proceeds.

Boynton said he wanted all aspects of the case investigated, “So we’re fully informed and fully prepared” to take the case into the courtroom.

Boynton added that charges would probably be filed next week or the week after.

The cattle were brought into Sublette County without being spayed or receiving calf-hood vaccinations for brucellosis, a violation of animal health rules in Wyoming. Local cattlemen were enraged with the action as the cattle industry struggles to retain its brucellosis-free status. The Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association executive committee enacted a resolution requesting state officials “aggressively pursue maximum penalty for this intentional violation of Wyoming’s import regulation.”