Hopkins County woman guilty of federal charges related to an unlicensed breeding facility in the Eastern District of Texas

TYLER, Texas - A Hopkins County woman has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges following an animal welfare investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Kristine Michelle Hicks, 51, pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Love on July 1, 2026.

According to information presented in court, Hicks was the sole owner and operator of an unlicensed dog breeding business called Giant German Shepherds in Hopkins County, Texas. Toward the end of the operation in December 2025, Hicks had as many as 131 German shepherds on her property.

Hicks advertised her services online through a website and Facebook account she controlled. When she received inquiries about dogs that she had advertised for sale, she made representations and promises about the dogs, including that they were healthy, trained for specific services, that they had certain specified parentage, and that they were registered with the AKC. These representations were false. Instead of selling purebred, properly AKC registered, healthy animals, Hicks sometimes sold dogs that were a mix of breeds, were randomly sourced from other litters, and had diseases or were in an unhealthy state. Soil from Hicks' property was contaminated with coccidia, an intestinal parasite. Hicks also created and fabricated false AKC documentation, and greatly inflated the sales prices for the dogs, often by thousands of dollars above the dogs' real market value.

"The depraved indifference to animal suffering we witnessed in this case was shocking," said United States Attorney Jay R. Combs. "My office will continue to advocate for the victims who were defrauded by the defendant as well as the animals who suffered, and often died, in cruel conditions. The concerned citizens who brought this to light are to be commended along with the amazing animal rescue organizations who worked so hard to assist in caring for the animals, most especially Big Dog Ranch Rescue."

"This fraudulent, unlicensed dog breeder subjected dogs to grotesque cruelty, keeping a kill pit at her facility," said U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General John Walk. "I am proud of the USDA OIG agents who rescued 143 dogs and brought swift justice to this unconscionable crime. Criminals should know that USDA OIG will continue working aggressively with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate crimes endangering animal welfare and protect public safety. I thank the FBI, APHIS Animal Care, SPCA of Texas, Tulsa SPCA, and Big Dog Ranch Rescue for their assistance in conducting the investigation and housing the rescued animals."

Hicks faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General and the FBI, with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Morris.