The former ranch manager of Pollard Farms remains jailed on a $1 million bond on charges that he stole and sold more than 100 head of cattle from the nationally-recognized angus operation.

Keenan Earl Pendley, 35, of Fairmont faces nine felony charges of larceny of domestic animals and one charge of pattern of criminal conduct, filed July 20 in Garfield County District Court.

He was arrested July 26 in Kansas and remains incarcerated in the Garfi eld County Jail, according to online court records.

Dr. Barry Pollard and his wife Roxanne started Pollard Farms in Waukomis in 1992 with several bred angus heifers and yearlings.

Since then, the operation has expanded to include more than 30 elite donor cows and 400 performance cows and heifers, with 400-500 spring and fall calves raised each year, according to the farm’s website.

Pendley had worked for Pollard Farms since April 2016, advancing to the level of ranch manager, a position that carried a salary of about $80,000, in addition to all-expenses- paid home, a vehicle and fuel and year’s worth of beef, according to the affidavit filed in the criminal case.

Pollard contacted the Investigative Services Unity of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry on May 25, reporting his suspicions about Pendley, according to the affidavit.

Pollard said Hennessey Packing Co. had contacted the Pollard Farms secretary May 24 reporting that Pendley allegedly brought two cows there April 21 to be sold after processing.

Pendley allegedly picked up checks totaling $4,800 from the individuals purchasing the beef and asked to have the checks made out to him personally, which triggered the phone call from Hennessey Packing to Pollard Farms, according to the affidavit.

Pollard told ODAFF investigators that he did not authorize the transaction and Pendley retained the $4,800 proceeds.

Pollard told investigators he then contacted Enid Livestock Market and discovered Pendley allegedly had sold 59 head of cattle there from February 2021 to January 2022.

Pollard also learned that Pendley had stopped branding cattle purchased by Pollard Farms and told the other ranch hands to do the same, allegedly telling them he did not want the ranch brand on any bad cattle that might be culled from the herd, according to the affidavit.

In the course of their investigation, ODAFF investigators found additional unauthorized sales of Pollard cattle by Pendley since 2018, including 84 head at Enid Livestock Market for a net amount of $70,603.58; nine head at Southern Plains Livestock Market in Blackwell totaling $8,640.31, and 14 head at Payne County Stockyards totaling $10,267.48, according to the affidavit.

Additionally, Pendley is alleged to have sold three bulls to private citizens without Pollard Farms authorization, according to the affidavit.

In an interview with investigators on June 28, Pendley allegedly admitted selling about 73 head of cattle belonging to Pollard Farms, calling it a “poor decision” and adding that he was just trying to keep food on the table for his family.

Pendley appeared in court via video feed July 28, when bond was set. He is due back in court Aug. 29 and is represented by Enid criminal attorney Eddie Wyant.

Wyant filed a motion on Pendley’s behalf requesting the court’s permission to pay restitution owed to Pollard Farms in advance of a plea agreement.

The motion lists restitution in the amount of $89,331.37, which is the total listed in ODAFF’s affi davit for cattle sold at the various livestock markets.

However, the motion acknowledges that “the state may provide evidence in the future that more restitution is actually owed.”

When contacted by the Times & Free Press Tuesday, Wyant elaborated: “We understand the current amount of restitution that is due from the investigation and want to get that figure reimbursed as quickly as possible. At this point, there have been no plea negotiations as Mr. Pendley is trying to do what little he can to make things right.”

Pollard Farms announced on its website that Jeremy Leister, former senior purebred herd manager at Oklahoma State University, has been hired as the new ranch manager.