Kerrville, Texas Couple Arrested for Mail Theft and Forgery After Missing Cattle Payment

 Two Kerrville residents are in jail for mail theft, forgery and other charges after a missing check for the sale of cattle led investigators to their doorstep. The investigation into the missing payment was conducted by Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Special Ranger Mike Barr.

Barr initiated the investigation in November 2018 after he was contacted by an employee of the Gillespie County Livestock Auction. According to the complainant, a rancher from Boerne had sold cattle at the auction market but never received the check that was mailed to him.

It was quickly determined that the check was cashed at a Fredericksburg bank. Surveillance video showed a male and female entering the bank lobby, and bank records identified Tyler Benjamin Gustafson, 30, of Kerrville, as one of the individuals who cashed the check. The other individual in the surveillance video was later determined to be Gustafson’s girlfriend, Faith Jillian Mahaffey, 21, of Kerrville.

The investigation also revealed numerous complaints of mail thefts near the victim’s residence, believed to be linked to the same suspects.

In March, the duo was arrested by the Fredericksburg Police Department after a traffic stop. The stop yielded a variety of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, forgery tools and numerous stolen checks, credit cards and identification documents. The evidence included stolen documents from at least six Texas counties.

Gustafson and Mahaffey were both booked into the Gillespie County Jail and later transferred to the Kendall County Jail. As of writing, both remain in custody in lieu of bond.

They currently face multiple charges, including forgery, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in prison, and; fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, a second-degree felony punishable by 2-20 years in prison. Additional charges are expected in Kerr and Gillespie counties to address the thefts, possession of controlled substances and other fraud and forgery crimes. 

The numerous charges are the result of extensive collaboration between TSCRA Special Ranger Barr, the Fredericksburg Police Department, Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office, Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, Kerr County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Postal Service Inspectors.

Barr would like to especially thank the 216th District Attorney’s Office for their prosecution of the multiple offenses.The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are pending. If anyone has additional information or believes Gustafson or Mahaffey may have victimized them, they are urged to contact their local sheriff’s office.      ~ TSCRA Media