CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, Dena J. King, said that William Dalton Edwards, 25, of Mount Airy, N.C., pleaded guilty to conspiracy for his part in a $1 million plan to steal livestock.
They announced with Sheriff Alan Norman of Cleveland County and Sheriff Darren Campbell of Iredell County. Also present were Special Agent in Charge of the USDA-OIG Southeast Region Miles B. Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Charlotte Field Office Jason Byrnes, and Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Charlotte Field Office Donald “Trey” Eakins.
Edwards worked with others to cheat cattle markets in North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and Virginia from April 2018 to October 2022. Edwards and his partner in crime wrote bad checks to buy cattle, even though they knew they couldn’t be cashed because they didn’t have enough money. The cattle were then taken out of state before the scam was found and sold again in Texas and Oklahoma.
Animal markets, including family-owned sales barns in North Carolina, lost more than $1 million because of the plan, which involved more than 3,000 cattle. These sales barns have to pay farmers and ranchers right away after selling livestock, which means they have to take the losses.
Edwards claimed that he worked with others to scam the US and break federal laws. He did things like blocking the USDA’s Packers and Stockyard Division, lying to banks, and transporting stolen animals across state lines. The worst punishment for this crime is five years in jail, plus any fines or restitution the court orders.
Edwards is out on bond right now; a date for his punishment has not yet been set.