Farmer accused of cow theft, spy drone helps put him in jail for 3 years

Back in 2011, a farmer was accused of stealing cows from his neighbor. This week, he was sentenced to three years in jail after evidence against him was collected by a Predator drone.

After North Dakota farmer Rodney Brossart allegedly stole cattle, his family refused to hand him over to the police when he was faced with the allegations, armed police officers, and a search warrant. He was finally arrested and released on bail.

Rodney Brossart. (Image via U.S. News)

Warrants were also issued for the arrest of his three sons, but neither Brossart nor his sons ever appeared in court.

What does a drone have to do with this?

Since the Brossarts had been on law enforcement’s radar for years before the alleged cow incident for disputes involving land and local government issues, Nelson County Sherriff Kelly Janke took action. Janke had the U.S. Border Patrol send out a Predator drone to do some spying on the Brossarts.

A U.S. Predator Drone.

The drone collected video surveillance of the farm, tracking the family’s movements. It then located Brossart and his three armed sons and let police know it was safe to make an arrest.

According to NBC News, “The case could prove significant, because Brossart's attorney tried unsuccessfully to have the terrorizing charges related to his standoff with police dropped because evidence was gathered by the drone without a search warrant specifically allowing for it.”

Brossart was not found guilty of the cattle theft, but of terrorizing police for his role in an armed standoff with the police that came after the alleged cow theft.

This case marks the first time American law enforcement used an unmanned aerial vehicle to help make an arrest.

Keep an eye out to see how the role of drones unfolds in law enforcement agencies.

Are the cows ok?

If you’re wondering about the cows, it’s said that they just wandered onto Brossart’s property, which sparked the whole incident.

The drone

The first Predator Drone system was conceived in the 1990s in order for the Department of Defense to provide better intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information combined with the arms of a war-fighter.