A Solsberry man has been charged with a misdemeanor after his cattle allegedly got out of their pasture and were roaming on other properties several different times.

Thomas Craig McGill, 51, of rural Solsberry, has been charged with a Class B misdemeanor for animals running at large. McGill was scheduled to appear in court last week for an initial hearing. McGill retained a private defense attorney, Carl Lamb of Bloomington, and the defense waived the initial hearing.

Deputy Terry Wade of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department responded to a location on East McVille Road on January 30 after a property owner called the sheriff’s department to report McGill’s cattle were out and on the property.

When Wade talked to the couple who owned the property, they said this wasn’t the first time it had happened. They had several acres with some still planted with last year’s crops. Deputy Wade said he saw several cattle in and around the crops.

When Deputy Wade talked to another resident in the same area but on North Copper Branch Road, the resident said McGill just allows the cattle to roam and it has been an issue for years.

On February 1, the couple again called to report cattle on their property.

On February 6, the resident on Copper Branch reported cattle were out and on her property again and they had been there on February 4 and 5 as well.

On February 11, the resident on Copper Branch called again about cattle out and when Deputy Wade arrived that day, he found three calves out of their pasture.

Deputy Wade reported he tried numerous times to contact McGill by phone and had left a note and his business card at McGill’s residence but all attempts failed and McGill did not contact him.

A case was filed on February 14 and a summons sent to McGill.