United States-Cattle Dealer guilty on fraud charges.

UNITED STATES-CATTLE DEALER ON FRAUD CHARGES.

A 67-year-old man faces sentencing next week and next month for bogus cattle deals.

Jim Beard, of Superior, was charged with theft in Webster County.

Authorities say Beard bounced a check of more than $13,000 for the purchase of cattle at a Blue Hill sale barn on April 21, 2007. Then a week later he bought more than $10,000 worth of cattle but left without paying for them..

Beard pleaded no contest after prosecutors dropped 1 of the counts. Sentencing is set for March 19.

He was charged in Clay County with four counts of theft, all relating to transactions at a Sutton sale barn, also during April 2007.

Those charges have since been reduced to a lone count of theft, and he is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 11.