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Three suspects indicted by grand jury for second degree felony timber fraud in Liberty County

January 7, 2022

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Three suspects were indicted by a grand jury in Liberty County on the charge of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, a second degree felony, on December 15, 2021. Anthony Major, Willie Johnson and Roderick Parks are accused of conspiring together to steal $102,776.76 of timber revenue through their employer, Alvin Laird Logging.

Timber theft can take a variety of forms – from harvesting timber without the landowner’s knowledge or consent, to entering into a formal agreement and not paying them the full purchase price and even stealing timber from logging companies.

In October 2019, the Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement Department was contacted by a harvesting contractor after suspecting one of his employees of stealing timber from his logging jobs.

After an investigation was conducted, supporting evidence was found that the defendants, all truck drivers for Alvin Laird Logging, were selling timber, harvested from the Laird’s logging sites, to a Corrigan mill under a third-party contract then obtaining the revenues in cash without the consent of Laird or the landowners.

Major and Johnson were arrested under warrant on November 8, 2021, and Parks on November 18, 2021. The case was turned in to Liberty County District Attorney Jennifer Bergman, who brought the case before a grand jury. After hearing testimonies, the grand jury decided that there was probable cause for the three to be charged with a felony of the second degree.

“Without the cooperation and high integrity of Alvin Laird we would not have a case,” said Josh Mizrany, Investigator with Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement Department. “I have heard of cases like this in the timber industry, where the employer just fires the employee and doesn’t take the case to law enforcement, then the employee just goes to work for someone else to do the same thing. Alvin Laird’s actions is a main component to justice being served.”

There were numerous victims identified in the investigation as the logging contractor was a sub-contract under another company and working for sever landowners. The three suspects could face from two to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $10,000 if convicted.

Meanwhile, Mizrany can’t stress enough the importance of involving Texas A&M Forest Service in any case of suspected timber fraud or timber theft.

“Timber theft is more common than most people realize,” said Mizrany. “If you believe fraud is occurring with your timber agreement, contact the Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement Department immediately as we work diligently with local officials to help bring those responsible for timber theft and other violations of the natural resource code to justice.”

If you are unfamiliar with selling timber, you are urged to contact your local Texas A&M Forest Service office. Agency field staff will assist you with securing the assistance of a professional resource manager to help select trees for harvest, estimate values and find potential buyers.

For more information, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/lawenforcement/reporttimbertheft/ or to report suspected timber theft activities, call the timber theft hotline at 1-800-364-3470.

1 Comment

  1. Jeffrey Pickett on July 15, 2022 at 4:48 pm

    The Corrigan Mill paying in cash to a third party contract knowing whose trucks were involved and not calling Laird?
    Another long time mo is to get an undivided interest owner and not pay the rest while also cutting beyond the contracted area very quickly. In and out. Gig’em Aggies! pickettlandcompany.com

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