WBTW

Marion County man charged with stealing livestock, ill treatment of animals

MULLINS, SC (WBTW) – The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says one man has been arrested for larceny and malicious property damage after he took a cow from a Mullins pasture.

The report from the sheriff’s office says deputies responded to a property on Cox’s Lake Court on Oct. 4. The victim told officers that morning he found his fence had been cut and tire tracks leading into the pasture. The victim also said it appeared that something had been dragged behind the truck and one of his cows was missing from the pasture.

Deputies were able to follow the drag markings to the home of Paul Neil Johnson.  Officials were unable to make contact with the suspect, but observed a skinning pole with fresh blood on the ground, animal organs in a nearby swamp, along with a black cow hide.

Johnson was charged with larceny stealing livestock, ill treatment of animals and malicious injury to animals.

He was released from the Marion County Detention Center on Oct. 28.