Special to The Hays Daily News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two men were arrested in a series of farm thefts that took place in Wyo., Neb., Okla. and Colo.

Matthew T. Jones, 31, and Ryan R. Hanzlick 32, were taken into custody Thursday without incident.

The investigation and subsequent arrests were part of a joint investigation with the Thomas County and the Hayes County, Neb., sheriff's departments, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the FBI in Kansas and Nebraska.

Jones and Hanzlick were indicted Wednesday, charged with 12 counts for the transport and transfer in interstate commerce of goods, wares and merchandise. According to the indictments, the thefts took place between November 2005 and April 2008 and involved the thefts of large farm equipment from Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Colorado.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office in the district of Kansas, both men were arrested and taken into custody Thursday -- Hanzlick in Hayes Center, Neb., at approximately 9 a.m., and Jones at approximately 12:20 p.m. in Colby.

If convicted, both men face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count