Ralston Man Wanted For Cattle Rustling Found Barricaded In Closet, Rangers Say

A 26-year-old Ralston man, accused of rustling cattle in Osage County and selling the stolen animals in Pawnee and Kay counties, has been arrested in Oklahoma City.

Friday, December 19th 2014, 1:06 pm

By: News On 6

Ralston Man Wanted For Cattle Rustling Found Barricaded In Closet, Rangers Say

A 26-year-old Ralston man, accused of rustling cattle in Osage County and selling the stolen animals in Pawnee and Kay Counties, has been arrested in Oklahoma City.

Rangers with the Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association allege Garrett Mitchell Gibson stole seven head from a neighboring rancher at Big Bend on the Pawnee-Osage county line.

According to a news release, TSCRA Special Ranger Bart Perrier said Gibson was barricaded in a closet at an OKC residence when he was arrested on Thursday. Gibson spent the night at the Oklahoma County Jail and will be transported to the Osage County jail.

Perrier said Gibson stole and sold the cattle at the Pawnee, Blackwell and Newkirk sale barns on three different days in October.

Gibson officially was charged with larceny of domestic animals on Dec. 5. If convicted, he faces no less than three years and up to 10 years in prison.

Court records show Gibson has a history with being charged in theft-related crimes.

In January 2013, he was charged with forging three checks that belonged to another man and depositing them into his own Stillwater bank account. According to court records, Gibson confessed to forging two $700 checks and an $800 check. He pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced for the felonies in January 2015.

In 2009, a Stillwater golf course reported Gibson came into the Links Pro Shop and asked to fill out a job application. An employee said he noticed Gibson looking at a putter and attempted to conceal it down his pants. When the employee walked over, Gibson reportedly put the golf club back on the shelf, but when the employee's attention was diverted again, he took a hat off the shelf and walked out of the store, an affidavit says.

The shop said the theft was captured on video, and investigators were able to get Gibson's identity off the job application he submitted. He pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor theft and the case was dismissed upon payment of restitution.

Gibson also is scheduled to be sentenced in two misdemeanor cases after several delays for failing to appear in court.

He pleaded guilty to driving while impaired in 2009, but a one-year deferred sentence was revoked after he failed to report to the supervision officer, was delinquent on restitution and didn't complete required substance abuse treatment, which included random urine tests, records show.

In July 2012, Gibson was arrested for transporting an open container of alcohol and pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced in January, along with the forgery and DWI cases.