The five cattle taken from a McMinn County farm Dec. 3 have been returned, and three people have been charged with allegedly stealing them and a tractor taken from the same area in October, according to authorities.
Arrests in the cattle theft were tied to the theft of a Kubota tractor investigated Oct. 10 on County Road 446, authorities said in a McMinn County Sheriff's Office statement. A $1,000 reward was offered for information on the cattle.
During the tractor theft investigation, detectives identified Monroe County resident Gary Hill as a suspect, and detectives learned the tractor had been taken to Bristol, Tennessee, and then to Hiwassee, Georgia, a few days later, investigators said. McMinn County detective Amber Cook located Hill in Georgia and the Kubota tractor was recovered and returned to the owner, officials said.
(READ MORE: McMinn County remains are a match for Fort Oglethorpe cold case)
On Dec. 3, McMinn officials investigated a report of five stolen cattle from County Road 419, near Englewood, authorities said. After photos of suspected vehicles and a cattle trailer were released during the initial probe and were posted on social media, Hill was identified as a suspect in the cattle theft, along with Thomas "Dewayne" Pressley, of Meigs County.
"Our detectives, along with State Agriculture Crimes investigator Clint Brookshire, found Mr. Dewayne Pressley and Ms. Donna Vaughn were directly involved in the theft along with Mr. Gary Hill," McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said in the statement. "The cattle were located in Lincoln County and were returned to the owner."
After McMinn investigators were joined by Sweetwater police and detectives, Pressley and Vaughn were located in the parking lot of Rural King, a farm supply store in Sweetwater, on Wednesday, authorities said. The pair was taken into custody at the store.
(READ MORE: TBI investigating death of McMinn County man deputy used stun gun on during altercation)
Hill was taken into custody Thursday and transported to the McMinn County Jail where he was held on a Sheriff's Office charge of theft over $5,000, related to the alleged theft of the cattle; two counts of illegal possession or fraudulent use of credit card from the Athens Police Department; thefts of property related to horses from the Monroe County and Loudon County sheriff's departments; and violation of parole by the Blount County Sheriff's Office, authorities said. Hill also faces charges in surrounding counties related to livestock theft allegations.
Pressley and Vaughn face charges in McMinn of theft over $5,000 stemming from the cattle theft, authorities said.
"The officers from different agencies working together brought a timely resolution to these cases," Guy said. "I certainly commend Detective Amber Cook for her leadership in pursuing the offenders."
Cattle theft is uncommon in McMinn, Guy said by phone, but when it happens, it is usually a crime of opportunity.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.