Gov. John Kennedy’s ‘Underwood Farms’ Is Back After Being Stolen From Iowa State University
A former Iowa State professor has been charged with stealing the research of a professor who worked on his farm and using it to sell to a California company, authorities said.
The suspect, Daniel Johnston, 37, was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon and was charged with theft by deception, tampering with evidence, burglary and receiving stolen property, authorities in Iowa said.
Johnston was the former professor at the Iowa State College of Agriculture.
Johnston has been in custody since February.
The theft of the professor’s research is the latest in a series of thefts at the farm, which Johnston built on his property, said Iowa State spokeswoman Mary Ann Schulte.
Johnston’s brother works for the farm’s owner, Schultes said.
The suspect has been working at the site since the fall of 2015, Schulders said.
Last year, Iowa State lost one of its top crop researchers, Chris Kennedy, after he was charged and convicted in connection with the theft of two research projects, Schulz said.
Kennedy is the head of Iowa State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
He was indicted in May on eight counts of wire fraud, theft by deceit and theft of government property, Schultz said.
He’s also charged with having three stolen farm tools, including a hammer and an axe.