Last Minute Prison Self-Report Deadline Extension Granted; Easterday Anticipates 11-Year Sentence

In one of the largest modern-day cattle schemes, Cody Easterday’s story continues.

After being convicted in October on a charge of wire fraud totaling $244 million in a swindle against Tyson Fresh Meats and Segale Properties of Tukwila, Wash., Easterday was set to report to federal prison on Dec. 2 to begin serving his 11-year sentence.

However, on Dec. 1, one day prior to walking through prison doors, Easterday was granted a last minute, two-week reprieve, court documents state.

The Court previously denied his motion, in part, because the motion indicated that the U.S. opposed his request. However, “based on the non-opposition of the United States,” the Court granted Easterday’s second motion, noting “this is the last extension the Court will grant absent extraordinary circumstances,” the court documents state.

Easterday confessed to the cattle fraud scheme in 2021, coming clean about caring and feeding for as many as 200,000 nonexistent cattle. He then worked with bankruptcy court to sell off most of his family’s farm and ranch assets to raise money for the victims, the Justice Department states.

In September, Justice Department attorneys filed a memo in the U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Washington that called the theft “staggering” and under standard sentencing guidelines recommended Easterday serve between 121 and 151 months, or up to 12 years and seven months.

Pleading for a lighter sentence, Easterday’s lawyer Carl Oreskovich noted, Easterday has been a devoted community member, serving local 4-H kids, his workers and his family. Oregon Public Broadcasting says, after the sentencing, Easterday’s supporters filed out of the courtroom silently.

Before sentencing Easterday to 11 years in prison, in the courtroom, Judge Stanley Bastian said, “It’s all come to a collapse.”

Easterday’s two-week extension will end Dec. 16.

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