East Texas Man Going to Prison for Stealing Cattle With Bad Checks

A Henderson County man has been found guilty of cattle theft and sentenced to 20 years in prison.  He didn't take the cattle the way they did it in the movies, on horseback.  He got them the modern way, by writing a bad check to the man he bought them from.

The Tyler jury ruled that 44 year old Carl Wade Curry stole cattle from a Bullard man by writing a check he knew he didn't have sufficient funds to cover.  In January 2009, Curry wrote a $29,000 check to Danny Fountain for 64 head of cattle.  Fountain testified the check bounced several times, and Fountain never got his money or had his cattle returned.

Curry, 44, who acted as his own attorney in the case, will have to serve at least five years in prison before he is eligible for parole.

Smith County Prosecutor Richard Vance says this case could set a statewide precedent because “everyone will be watching.”  Vance says Curry is facing similar theft charges in several other counties, and it will be up to those jurisdictions to decide if and how they will prosecute him.

Carl Curry has a long history of financial misdealings. He also spent 18 months in federal prison on bank fraud and aiding and abetting charges.

via Convicted Cattle Thief Sentenced To 20 Years.

In his Tyler trial, Curry proved the truth of the old adage that anyone who acts as his own lawyer has a fool for a client.  One of the people he called in as a character witness told the jury he would do business with Curry, but only a cash basis. He said he wouldn't take a check from him.