FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
 

TSCRA honors Elliott with prosecutor of the year award

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 29, 2008—Fort Bend County Assistant District Attorney Michael Elliott will be recognized March 16 for his commitment to prosecuting livestock theft and related crimes.

            Elliott will be named the first-ever Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Prosecutor of the Year during the first general session of the association’s annual convention and trade show, Brand The Future, at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi.

            Elliott, who serves as chief prosecutor in the county’s economic crimes division, was instrumental in securing a plea agreement last year in the largest case of cattle theft in TSCRA’s history.

            Larry Gray, TSCRA’s director of law enforcement/market inspection services, said Elliott “shows a real interest in these types of cases.”

            He said prosecutors like Elliott are a deterrent to would-be criminals because they know they will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

            Elliott, who has been a prosecutor since 1992, grew up around cattle and ranching in Ellis County and is no stranger to the industry. He was actively involved in FFA as a student and was a recipient of the association’s Lone Star Farmer degree in 1981.

            He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Texas at Arlington and a juris doctorate in law from the South Texas College of Law.

            Elliott was chosen from a pool of finalists nominated by TSCRA’s special rangers. Other finalists included Limestone County District Attorney Roy Defriend and Bexar County Assistant District Attorney Joanne Woodward.

          TSCRA has 28 special rangers stationed strategically throughout Texas and Oklahoma who have in-depth knowledge of the cattle industry and are trained in all facets of law enforcement. All are commissioned as special rangers by the Texas Department of Public Safety and/or the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

            Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 131-year-old trade organization whose 15,000 members manage approximately 3.7 million cattle on 96.5 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma.  TSCRA provides law enforcement services, livestock inspection, legislative and regulatory advocacy and education opportunities for its members.

 TSCRA–11–2008