A 25-year-old Texas man has been charged with felony second-degree cattle theft after allegedly paying for dozens of cattle using cheques that bounced. Payton Dean Carroll purchased 77 head of cattle from Buffalo Livestock Marketing, Inc., but the payment failed to clear, prompting an investigation by the Leon County Sheriff's Department. The case highlights ongoing concerns within the livestock industry about fraud, at a time when rising cattle prices have made such transactions increasingly costly for sellers.

The cattle Carroll allegedly obtained were worth more than $159,000 in total. He now faces a felony charge over the scheme, which was uncovered and pursued by local law enforcement in Leon County, Texas. Further details of the case, including any court proceedings, have yet to be reported.