Attorney General's News Release

February 4, 2004

Grain warehouse owner pleads guilty to 26 counts related to stealing grain; area farmers to be repaid $233,876 total

Clinton, Mo. — The owner of a grain warehouse in Urich pleaded guilty today to 26 felony counts related to stealing wheat, corn and soybeans from area farmers. Last July, Attorney General Jay Nixon filed the charges against Roger A. Highley (DOB - 8/21/47), the owner of Urich Feed and Supply Inc. Highley entered a guilty plea to one count of withholding records and 25 counts of stealing grain.

"Like many small business owners, farmers must place a certain degree of trust in people they do business with," Nixon said today. "Roger Highley betrayed that trust and tried to cover up the fact that a large amount of grain was not there. It caught up to him, and now he must face the consequences."

Prosecutors with the Attorney General's Office will recommend to Henry County Circuit Judge William J. Roberts that Highley be sentenced to two years in prison on each count, with the sentences to run concurrent. The recommendation is contingent upon Highley paying $97,268 in restitution for the 25 grain owners prior to his March 22 sentencing; the money would be distributed by the court. This money is in addition to $136,608 already disbursed to the farmers from assets held by Highley as security for operating the grain facility.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture played an integral role in the case, Nixon said. Auditors with the department discovered in 2002 that the grain facility's inventory was more than 57,000 bushels short of its storage obligations.

Nixon obtained an order from the court freezing the facility's bank accounts and transferring all stored grain, grain by-products, equipment and property to the Department of Agriculture. The department sold the grain that was on hand, with the proceeds distributed to farmers who had stored grain at the facility.

"Our auditors were simply doing their jobs, but in this case it kept a bad situation from getting worse for some Missouri farmers," said Peter Hofherr, director of the Department of Agriculture. "Our goal is to protect producers' grain investments and inventory, and I'm pleased with the efforts made by my staff and the final outcome of this case. Justice has been served, and grain claimants will recover most of their losses."

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818