Former reality-TV cowboy sentenced to prison for assaulting elderly landlord
Ethan Treadwell, a past contestant on a cowboy competition show, received a 25-year sentence after beating his 74-year-old landlord in Oklahoma, leaving the victim with permanent injuries.
Ethan Treadwell, 43, who appeared on the first season of “Ultimate Cowboy Showdown,” was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison, with 15 years suspended, for assaulting his 74-year-old landlord, William “Junior” Hicks, in Kiowa County, Oklahoma. The dispute began after Hicks issued an eviction notice in December 2023 over unpaid rent for land Treadwell continued to graze cattle on. On Jan. 30, 2024, Hicks confronted Treadwell, who allegedly attacked him, knocking him unconscious and repeatedly kicking him, resulting in severe, debilitating and permanent injuries, including traumatic brain damage and a broken nose.
Treadwell pleaded guilty to a reduced maiming charge after initially facing aggravated assault and battery, and the civil case filed by Hicks was dismissed while criminal proceedings continued. In court, Treadwell expressed remorse, and the judge heard character statements supporting him. A restitution hearing is scheduled for October, and Treadwell has ten days to appeal the sentence.
Why it matters
The case highlights how personal disputes can lead to serious violent crime and legal consequences, even involving public figures.
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