Texans credited with assisting in cattle theft case

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

July 26, 2001 -- Cherokee County ranchers, inspectors with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and the police chief in Bullard were credited with the quick recovery of cattle that had been stolen in Bossier City, La.

Carnie Burcham, investigator with the Louisiana Livestock Brand Commission (counterpart to the TSCRA), said he "couldn't have done it without (Bullard Police) Chief Gary Lewis, the two ranchers who penned the cattle, and Jimmy Dickson and Mike Strong (TSCRA's field inspectors)."

The suspect in the case, 30-year-old Mark A. Ganske of Jacksonville, has been arrested on aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery, and 51 counts of theft of livestock. The suspect kidnapped the cattle truck driver, at gunpoint, following the sale at Livestock Producers in Bossier City, La.

Following an ordeal where the cattle were taken to Texas and unloaded into a pen, Ganske was arrested back in Bossier City around 7 a.m. Thursday, July 12, on the kidnapping and robbery charges.

Obviously "(Ganske) didn't anticipate getting arrested because there was no water for the cattle in the pen," Burcham said. The lack of water helped investigators with the case.

By Saturday, July 14, the cattle were found, and the theft charges were added.

Finding the cattle was essential to the case. Burcham said they knew the 51 head of cattle were likely in Texas due to information received from the kidnap victim.

Police in Ganske's home area were contacted. Ganske was on probation for conviction of cattle theft out of Burleson County.

Chief Lewis, whom Burcham credits with "getting the ball rolling" in locating the stolen cattle, said after he was contacted about the case, he located a witness that had a statement from Granske on tape. The message indicated Granske was concerned about a lack of water for the cattle.

"Granske called from jail ... and (left a message) that he wanted (the witness) to go turn on the water," Lewis said.

Through Lewis' investigative efforts, the phone number of a person whom had rented land to Ganske was located. Reportedly, Ganske had obtained about 40 acres that also had about a 100-foot by 100-foot pen.

Ganske's residence on Lake Palestine was also searched by Lewis and two Bossier City detectives in an effort to obtain information.

In handling the search for the cattle, Lewis tracked down TSCRA field inspector Jimmy Dickson, who would have jurisdiction.

Together, that evening, they went to the land in the Mixon community and "we found the cattle," Lewis said.

The cattle, ranging in weight from 200 to 780 pounds, were freshly weaned and were purchased by Hartford Insurance in Purcell, Okla. The cattle were to be hauled by truck to a cattle company in Chilton, Texas.

"When we got there, there was about 20 head still in a penned area, but the others had broken out because there was no water in the pen," Lewis related about the Thursday night events. "I could hear the others bawling" but they were scattered over the 40-acre pasture.

Of the 51 head of cows stolen, and unloaded at a Cherokee County location, 49 have been recovered.

"When we first got there, two cows went under the gate. It was kind of a strange gate, about three or four feet off the ground; you could just about walk under it," Lewis detailed. "Those may be the two that are still missing."

Dickson added that "even if we don't find the other two, we're so far ahead. I thought we'd be months gathering cattle."

After busting out of the pen, "30 were caught and penned at one ranch, and 19 others were caught and penned at another place" by neighboring ranchers, according to Burcham.

Dickson said the ranchers contacted him that they had the cattle penned with their herd.

"It was (fortunate) they grouped and went to the other cattle. It turned out real well," Dickson added.

The cattle were taken to holding pens at Tri-County Livestock in New Summerfield where they were, as authorized by the original buyer, sold Saturday, July 21. Some of the cattle had to be treated for shipping/stress-related illness, according to Dickson.

Ganske, as of press time Monday, remained in the Bossier City jail on $200,000 bond for aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery, plus the 51 counts of livestock theft. Federal charges and charges in Texas are being considered, according to a Larry Michaud, spokesman for the Louisiana Livestock Brand Commission. "Problem is (for Ganske) if he bonds out, because he was on probation, he has to go back to Caldwell (Burleson County) to serve three years" on the prior cattle theft incident.