Swift action by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Crime Unit (ACU) resulted in the recovery of stolen cattle worth thousands of dollars. Three suspects, Gary James Hill from Sweetwater, Tenn. and Thomas Dewayne Pressley and Donna Ann Vaughn, both from Athens, Tenn., were taken to the McMinn County jail, each facing felony charges of theft over $6,000.
According to a press release, the theft occurred in Englewood in McMinn County, Tenn. during the early morning of Dec. 3. The ACU found the five cows 130 miles west to Lincoln County. They had recently been purchased by someone on Craigslist who is not believed to be involved in the theft. Pressley and Vaughn were tracked down in Sweetwater on Dec. 6. and arrested, followed by Hill on Dec. 7 who was located in Athens.
Since July 1, 2023, the Agriculture Crime Unit has investigated 271 cases and offenses statewide.