Adair County men face charges in Cherokee Nation Tribal Court
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association special rangers arrested James Glenn Sawney and Donnie Lee Nail for larceny of equipment, implement of husbandry, and possession of stolen property this July.
The arrests stem from an investigation conducted by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Ranger Cody Hyde, who received a report of a vandalized metal fabricated gate on a ranch in southern Adair County.
After being contacted by the property owner who noticed damage to his fence, Hyde made contact with a vehicle transporting a rear bucket attachment for a backhoe in the bed of the truck near the scene. He identified the drivers as Native American tribal members Sawney and Nail, but he released the suspects due to the McGirt Tribal Jurisdiction Law.
Hyde continued to survey the property, finding fresh equipment tracks near the vandalized gate and a 2023 Caterpillar 420 4X4 backhoe with a missing rear bucket attachment concealed in a heavily wooded area. Further investigation revealed the backhoe was reported stolen by law enforcement the day prior.
With assistance from the Adair County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee Nation Marshall’s Service, DNA evidence was collected and submitted from the backhoe. Law enforcement officials later found the bucket attachment at a Stillwell, Oklahoma pawn shop where it had been sold by Sawney.
Warrants were issued for Sawney and Nail. Sawney was arrested July 11 by the Adair County Sheriff’s Department. Nine days later, during a traffic stop, Nail fled the scene leading to a vehicle pursuit. Nail crashed his vehicle near Evansville, Arkansas during the pursuit. Nail was taken into custody by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and awaits extradition.
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association thank Adair County Sheriff Jason Ritchie, Adair County Deputy Skylar Sellers, Adair County Deputy Austin Cluck, and the Cherokee Nation Marshall’s Service for their joint efforts in this investigation bringing the case to prosecution.
