Colfax (trfnews.i234.me) — Daniel Wayne Dockter has been sentenced in a major cattle theft case.
The Colfax man pleaded guilty Thursday in Richland County to four criminal counts.
The charges involved more than 130 cattle valued at about $650,000.
Dockter received two years in prison and must pay $341,000 in restitution.
Four Counts Filed in the Case
Dockter pleaded guilty to two Class A felony theft counts.
Each felony involved property valued above $50,000.
He also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor livestock transport charges.
The charges involved moving livestock across state lines without required records.
Information about court procedures is available through North Dakota Courts.
Prison, Probation, and Restitution
Dockter received a 10-year sentence on the main theft count.
Eight years of that sentence were suspended.
He will serve two years before beginning three years of supervised probation.
The court ordered $241,000 in restitution for the first theft count.
Another $100,000 was ordered for the second theft count.
The combined restitution total is $341,000.
Daniel Wayne Dockter
All sentences will run at the same time.
Dockter was ordered to report to state corrections officials by noon Friday.
Ranchers Reported Missing Cattle
The case involved two ranchers who trusted Dockter to care for their livestock.
One rancher sent 93 cows and three bulls to Dockter’s property in November 2019.
A second rancher sent 40 cows to the property in 2021.
The cattle later disappeared from Dockter’s Richland County operation.
According to investigators, Dockter said the animals were at a South Dakota feedlot.
He identified the location as “Redfords Feedlot.”
Investigators found no business operating under that name.
Valley News Live previously reported details about the missing cattle investigation.
Search Found Other Cattle
Investigators found no brand inspection records showing legal transport outside North Dakota.
Authorities searched Dockter’s property in January 2026.
They found 165 cattle during the search.
None belonged to either rancher involved in the criminal case.
Livestock information is available through the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
Copyright 2026 TRF News. All rights reserved.