Nebraska Brand Committee

Alliance, NE — Levi A. Hollenbeck of Ainsworth, NE was sentenced on August 25, 2014 by the District Court of Holt County, NE to 180 days in the Holt County Jail and 3 years probation following his adjudged guilty charge on July 14, 2014 of sell, trade or dispose of livestock without a bill of sale, a Class III Felony.  

On Tuesday, May 20, 2014 John H Ortmeier, 70, of Omaha, NE pleaded not guilty in Dawson county District Court in Lexington, Nebraska on three counts of theft by deception. According to court documents, he allegedly purchased 278 head of cattle for $285,072.00 on three different occasions from Lexington Livestock Company. A June 27, 2014 pre-trial conference is scheduled followed by a July 8, 2014 trial.  Also, Ortmeier is being charged as a habitual criminal, as he has convictions dating back to 1992.

The Nebraska Cattlemen has renewed its Theft Reward program and offers up to a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of any person(s) stealing cattle from a member of the Nebraska Cattlemen.

Alliance, NE – On March 27, 2014, James J Henderson of Verdel, NE entered a plea of guilty in the County Court of Knox County, NE for violation of Nebraska’s Livestock Brand Act, Leaving the Nebraska Brand Inspection Area Without Brand Inspection, a Class II Misdemeanor.

Alliance, NE – On March 30, 2014 all Nebraska recorded livestock brands beginning with the letters S or T are due for renewal. If any owner fails, refuses, or neglects to pay the renewal fee by the expiration date, the brand shall expire and be forfeited. However, the Brand Committee has the authority to hold an expired brand for one year following the date of expiration.

Alliance, NE – On September 4, 2013, the five members of the Nebraska Brand Committee (NBC), reaffirmed its position that violation of Nebraska’s Livestock Brand Act is a big deal and warrants increased enforcement, as well as stiffer penalties upon conviction. The Committee is comprised of at least three active cattlepersons and at least one active cattle feeder.

The NBC was created by the Legislature to protect Nebraska brand and livestock owners from the theft of livestock through established brand recording, brand inspection and livestock theft investigation.

On June 19, 2013, Micky D. Davis of Ainsworth, NE was sentenced in Brown County District Court following a plea agreement that was reached on April 29, 2013, in which he pled guilty to 2 counts of Theft, a Class IV Felony.

On Monday, May 7, 2012, Dusty Dugan of St. Paul, NE waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Nance County Court in Fullerton, NE. He was bound over to District Court on one count of Selling Cattle Without Bill of Sale or Power of Attorney, a Class III Felony and one count of Theft of Livestock valued over $1,500.00, a Class III Felony. Dugan was also charged with one count, Leaving the Nebraska Brand Inspection Area Without Brand Inspection, a Class II Misdemeanor.

Alliance, NE — The members of the Nebraska Brand Committee have set the date of June 1, 2012 to begin assessing the surcharge as established by the passage of Legislative Bill 181 in 2011.

The Nebraska Brand Committee began the process of establishing Agency Rules and Regulations for the implementation of the surcharge on August 26, 2011. The final rule was approved by Governor Dave Heineman and was filed with the Nebraska Secretary of State’s office on December 16, 2011.