Springfield man charged in nearly $100,000 Lane County livestock theft

Kevin Douglas Smith, the former treasurer of the Lane County Livestock Association, was charged with four counts of aggravated first-degree theft after detectives said he wrote 15 personal checks to himself over more than three years and took in excess of $99,000 from a group that helps anchor Lane County’s livestock and fair scene. The case reaches well beyond a ledger line: the association’s work touches 4-H and FFA exhibitions, the county fair, and the annual youth auction that families and producers see each summer at the Lane County Fairgrounds.

Court records say the alleged thefts ran from March 2020 through August 2023 and were uncovered after the association’s president noticed discrepancies in January 2024. A separate report said the theft was first reported to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office on January 5, 2024, and Smith was arrested on May 20, 2024. Prosecutors filed the charges on June 18, and Smith was scheduled to be arraigned June 20 in Lane County Circuit Court.

The Lane County Livestock Association says it has operated continuously since 1939 and serves as the primary association for livestock producers in the county. Its stated mission includes connecting producers socially, sponsoring education, and supporting youth through 4-H, FFA and the county fair. It also works closely with OSU Extension and sponsors an annual youth auction at the fair, along with a Youth Producer of the Year Award that began in 2015.

Those programs are part of what makes the alleged loss so consequential for Lane County families. Money held by a small nonprofit often supports the visible side of agriculture in the county, from livestock judging and youth awards to the events that help local students show animals and build relationships with producers. The 2026 Lane County Fair is scheduled for July 22 through 26, and livestock materials tied to the fair show how much local agriculture still depends on steady nonprofit support and volunteer trust.

Oregon law classifies aggravated first-degree theft as a Class B felony when the property value is $10,000 or more, which explains why a case involving nearly $100,000 produced felony charges. In a resignation letter cited by detectives, Smith said he did not take the money for personal gain and said he used it to support his family’s business and keep something he loved alive. He later pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated first-degree theft and received three years of supervised probation and 80 hours of community service. The outcome closed the criminal case, but the damage to trust inside a key county agriculture organization was already done.