Kendra Gillette Statement

8/10/2019 Kendra Gillette Statement

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May 26, 2013

Sometimes I thinkIll just wake up and realize it was alla horrible nightmare. Hello..My name is Kendra

Gillette. I live in Vinita, Oklahoma with my husband Sweeny, our children Sterling 3, Olivia 7, my

daughter Blair and her husband Chad. 8 months ago todaymy life changed in an instant. Before we go

back to thatlet me start from the beginningor something close to it.

My husband Sweeny is the hardest working man I know. Orphaned at 14 he quit school, pulled up his

boot straps and went to work. He is a cattle trader. He started off with a two thousand dollar line of

credit and started swapping cattle, horses, sheep; llamas and maybe even a goat. By the time I started

dating him, he had about 400 head of cattle, and a two hundred thousand line of credit. We were

married in the summer of 2002. We worked hard every single day and after 10 years of marriageour

net worth was around 6 million. We had about 3500 head of cattle, a feedlot, 130 acres for farming, a

beautiful home, and life was good. I look back at that time of my life with such pride. We have a large

family and added more children to it. I did all the books and helped outside every chance I could. We

were living the American dream.

Everything changed for us in April 2011. We leased a ranch in Nevada called Soldier Meadows. Wewere running about 600 cows there at the time. Sweeny received a call from Kirk Miller (a Federal

Investigator) asking him about his paperwork for the cows in Nevada. We met with Kirk at our feedlot

and he brought a MC Deputy (Speelman) and a Nevada Brand Inspector (Blaine Northrup) with him.

They informed us our paperwork was not in orderwe had 30 days to gather cows and re ID them with

the Law present, and they canceled our BLM permit. We talked to our attorney and then jumped on a

flight to Reno. You see.I went through my paperworkand guess what???? It was in order. I also met

with my vet (Dr Derby) who agreed with me and our State vet (Dr. Hansen) who also agreed with me. I

met with the State vet of Nevada (Dr. LaRusso) who also agreed that my paperwork was in order, and

the head of the Nevada Brand Department (Joanne) and she agreed it was in order. Long story short I

had to spend 4 days getting my paperwork agreed upon, get my BLM permit reissued, and drive out to

the ranch to show Kirk Miller our cattle. (And he finally agreed our paperwork was in order) The tripcost us over 6000.00 dollars, time away from my children, and time away from our business. By May of

2011 we started hearing rumors about our business being under investigation. At first, we just kind of

laughed about it. We even joked that the MC Sheriff Deputies wouldnt have much fun following us

around. We are pretty boring. That summer we started getting phone calls from our customers telling

us that an Idaho Brand Inspector (Lynn Gibson) and a MC Deputy were asking about Sweeny, wanting to

look at cows we sold them and paperwork. Our regular customers were NOT returning to buy our cows.

One account alone was a 500,000.00 sale of Stock Cows. Our business was starting to slide but luckily

we were able to sell cows to new customers. By the fall of 2011 our trucks started getting harassed.

The Sheriff Department followed our trucks to the kill plants and held up our butcher cows to

reinspect them. We started losing money. The Kill Plants started quoting us LOWER prices so they

didnt have the hassle of the Sheriff and Brand Department. In October our garbage was seized from

our feedlot and home. My son was a baby so you can imagine how gross that was with all the dirty

diapers. Sweeny saw two MC Deputies following him to the La Grande Sale yard. Rumors and gossip

were running WILD and our friends in the community started avoiding us. We heard the word cattle

thief constantly. I kept thinkingwhy isthis happening? My husband had traded over 7 million dollars

worth of cows the previous year on a 2 million dollar line of credit. Thats anywhere from 6 to 8

thousand head of cows being traded. We dont need to steal anythingHellowe try and live by the 10

commandments!


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I foolishly thought I could fix it. I wrote lettersnewspapers, congress, USDA, etc. I thought if I told our

storyand believe me there is much more than just the few highlights Ive writtensomeone would help

us. We joined the Oregon CattlemensAssociation. The loved us at the first meeting.by the second

onewe were shunned. Apparently Roger Huffman (Oregon Brand Department) let everyone know that

Sweeny Gillette was a cattle thief While we were at the Cattlemans Convention in December 2011,

we received a phone call informing us that Lynn Gibson (Idaho Brand Inspector) and Travis Johnson (MC

Deputy Sheriff)shaved the cattle we sold to a customer in 2009. They went all the way to Wyoming to

do this. This customer bought over 200,000.00 worth of cattle from us. Againhe did not return to buy

more cows. Feeling defeated, angry, and like a criminal, I cried. I think that was the first time I actually

cried. I was just stupid enough to believe that they would leave us alone once they saw we werent

thieves.

In February of 2012 we sent cows to Arizona to JBS kill plant. They mailed my check (126,000.00) and

put a stop payment on it. The gals in the office said it was an office error and reissued us another check.

I didnt think too much of it. A few weeks later we found out that two MC Deputies went to Arizona to

reinspect our cows. They told everyone at the kill plant we were cattle thieves.

By March of 2012 we decided to file a lawsuit. We hired a private investigator and an attorney. We

were starting to lose serious money and after a year of constant harassment threw our hands up. We

were defeated. They won. Sweeny and I decided to put our feedlot, farm ground, and house up forsale. Sweeny started making calls and landed a job buying butcher cows in Northeast Oklahoma. We

flew to Tulsa the first of June and started looking for a home.

Long story short.again.We found a home on 80 acres. Our Farm house is 100 years old and we LOVE

it. It was totally remodeled in 1997 and its darling! I have learned all about stripping wallpaper and

painting. The corrals need a lot of work but we are happy to be out of Malheur CountyWe will come

back to this later.

The summer of 2012 was very crazy. We were in the process of getting cows out of Nevada, branding

calves, shipping Cows to Texas, Filing our Notice of Tort on the Sheriff office, packing up the house, and

planning our daughter Blairs wedding. This wedding was the highlight of my life. Blair and I had been

working nonstop for 8 months and we were super excited for the big day. The rumors, gossip, and

shunning was almost unbearable and so it was nice to be able to help Blair. Anything to take my mindoff the bills and lost friendships. I kept thinking that it would all be better once we moved.

September 26, 2012. My son Casey and his family flew in for the wedding the day before. He had

borrowed my car and was just returning it when we heard a knock at the door. I was holding my new

grandbaby and asked Casey to get the door. I heard him ask if that was a cop? I went to the door and

was greeted by two Sheriff Deputies. Everything happened so fastThe next thing I knew 17 Deputies

were in my home. I remember being MORTIFIED! I asked Casey and his wife to leave. He reluctantly did

but, only after they searched his car. I also remember calling Sweenywho was in Oklahoma buying

cows at the timecallingmy AttorneyMy ParentsWhoinformed me that they were also being

raidedour PIand being terrified. My 3 year old son was with me and my 6 year old would be getting

out of school soon. We have family cominghow long will this take?what must my neighbors

think?dont crydont crydont you dare cry!!! I also remember hearing something about my

Miranda rightsam I being arrested?? What on Earth is this about??? How can I ever teach my children

to respect our law enforcement.whywhywhy? I also remember being told that I would be searched

personally and that Dawn Schooley (from the Idaho Department of Agriculture) would be doing this.

WHAT? Something inside me just snapped.Oh HECK no! She started towards meand I met her

halfwayI quickly assured Miss Schooley, and everyone else in the room that Nobody was going to lay

a hand on meperiod! I grabbed my son and took him to his roomshut the door and started

changing his diaper. I was trembling. Through the door, I could hear a detective reading the warrant. I

took a deep breathsmiled a reassuring smile to Sterling and opened his bedroom door. I walked out


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and looked at ALL the law enforcement in my home. Not ONE person would look me in the eye. 17

people in uniform andNot one person could look at mesuddenly they became mesmerized by their

shoes. I think that is what bothers me the most. Its like they knewjust knew that what was happening

was wrong. I saw them put on latex glovesby this time some of them were anxious to go through my

things. It was like my house was a buffet at a fancy Casino for Sunday Brunch. I walked in my room to

change my clothes. Olivia needed picked up from school and I had sweatpants on. I was informed that I

couldnt change. I had to put my shoes on in my bedroom with my 3 year old son and a detective with

me. I remember him trying to talk to Sterling and it infuriated me. How dare you SPEAK to himshame

on you! I said. The detective had the decency to at least try and look remorsefulbut he tried to say

something apologeticI stuck my finger in his face and in a firm voice told himNO!I grabbed my

pursemy sonthrew my shoulders back, held my head as high as I could and walked out my front door.

I was trembling insideTheytook my cell phone but I had Onstar in my car. I called my husbandI

hated hearing the worry in his voice. He felt so guilty for not being there for me. I held it together for

him. Im finejust furious I say. I hung up and prayed. I remember asking my Heavenly Father to

protect my family and forgive my enemies. I drove to Blairs office. I walked in and asked for her cell

phone. I must have looked like death warmed over because she left her patient to check on me. (Shes

a Dental Hygienist) I whispered in her ear what was happening and left. I drove to Livs school, met my

FURIOUS fatherand hung out at the park for the next 4 hours. My son in-laws mother is my dearfriend. She went to my house to keep an eye on the raid. I was mortified. Her son was marrying my

daughter in 3 days. What must she think? I am so embarrassedI am so embarrassedI am so

embarrassed!

I went home to devastation. They had gone through EVERY room, drawer, closet, and left a huge mess.

My office was gone.all my drawers from my desk, my computer, fax machine, back up discs, message

books, file cabinets, cork boards, etcwere gone! How am I going to do payroll without checks. Where

are my billsgone! I cant transfer moneyMy cell phone is gonelaptop goneI sat down in the middle

of the mess and allowed myself to cry for 2 whole minutes. I sobbed.the loud wails snot nosepuffy

eyes kind of cry. I just laid on the floor and cried for two minutes. Then I was done and tried not to look

back. I didnt have time. I have a family with little ones that need meI need to be strong for SweenyI

need to get through the weddingI have a ton of family coming inI cant break down.We got through the wedding but the joy and happiness was overshadowed by our fear of the law

showing up. The one question I kept asking and Im still asking is WHY? A week later I loaded up my

children and drove to Oklahoma. 3 days later I started my daughter in school and Blair and I went to

work getting our house in order. Every knock on my door terrified me; I only went out for church or to

help at Olivias school. I was so scared that people in Oklahoma would find out about our past. You

seewhen youretreated like a criminalyou start to feel like one. I started questioning myself on

every single transaction in my books. I tortured myself for months. Sweeny and I started taking our

fears and frustrations out on each other and for the first time in 15 years together I started thinking of

divorce. Im so ashamed for admitting it but this whole thing had changed us. After we leftwe still had

the feedlot and cattle on pastures, hired men, and a business to runeven if we were 1600 miles away.

In January 2013 our banker (with the encouragement of MC Sheriff and Brand departments)

repossessed our cattle. They allowed them to be shaved again by the brand department thereby

devaluing them. That whole deal..due to the MC Sheriff and Idaho Brand Departmentcost us over 4

hundred thousand dollars. When we left Oregon we figured we would be able to sell our cattle,

properties, and equipment..pay off our loans and have close to 1 million dollars. Not too shabby!

Todaywe are almost bankrupt. We are living hand to mouthon our credit cardsand with total trust

in the good Lord.

We received the police report a few weeks after they raided us. It was a HUGE affidavit that was mostly

lies and anything else was easily explained or a MINOR violation. The first thing that became very


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to help us forgive themthen we look around at all the beautiful blessing that surround us. God is so

Good. You seeIn the endI winwe winno matter whatweve already won.

Documents

Kendra Gillette Statement