Posted at: 07/30/2009 12:05 PM | KSAX.com
By: Becky Nahm
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Minn. Man Pleads Not Guilty in Cattle Theft

WATERTOWN, S.D. (AP) - A Minnesota man accused of stealing cattle from a Watertown auction barn in March has pleaded not guilty and is to go on trial Sept. 17.

Joey Varner of Pierz, Minn., was indicted by a grand jury on one count of aggravated grand theft. He is accused of taking 188 cattle that were under U.S. Bankruptcy Court control.

Varner is a co-owner of Watertown Livestock and has ownership interests in other livestock auction barns in South Dakota, Minnesota and North Dakota.

He faces up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine if convicted.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)