Federal Indictment Uncovers Child Labor Violations in Poultry Plant
A federal Grand Jury has issued an indictment against several former employees of Fayette Industrial Services, revealing serious allegations involving the hiring and harboring of undocumented immigrants, including children, in Virginia’s Accomack County. The company, which served as a sanitation contractor at a poultry plant, faces severe scrutiny for its actions.
The Indictment Unveiled
Originally filed and sealed on November 5, the indictment became public on November 14. It highlights disturbing practices where minors were employed in cleaning operations that impact food safety. Fayette Industrial Services, based in Tennessee, reportedly hired children as young as 13 as late as 2024, drawing significant attention from authorities.
Following a 2024 investigation by the Department of Labor, Fayette was fined nearly $650,000 in penalties for multiple child labor violations.
Ongoing Investigations
The indictment outlines a persistent pattern of employing undocumented individuals, including minors. Key figures in this case include a former division manager of Fayette, a regional human resources manager, and a site manager from Guatemala, who allegedly lacked the legal status necessary to work in the United States.
Disturbingly, a 14-year-old worker was seriously injured while cleaning machinery at a poultry processing facility, referenced in the indictment. Media reports indicate this boy was from Guatemala and suffered injuries while working near a Perdue slaughterhouse.
Fraudulent Documentation
The investigation uncovered that the I-9 form for the injured boy wrongly classified him as an adult using a false identity. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security noted that among 353 employees reviewed at the Accomack plant, 339 were found using questionable documentation. Of these, 293 held ID cards from Delaware or North Carolina, with 284 driver’s licenses deemed invalid.
A Scheme Uncovered
According to the Grand Jury’s findings, since October 2020 through January 2024, the defendants conspired to defraud the United States, bypassing both immigration and child labor laws for financial gain. Their operations allegedly included the production and use of fake identification documents, allowing illegal workers to be entered into the I-9 employment system.
Notably, the indictment mentions one employee who worked under a false name flagged by the Social Security Administration for being linked to a stolen identity. When concerns about this practice were raised, the response from one defendant was dismissive, revealing a troubling disregard for legality and ethics.
Potential Consequences
The defendants now face multiple charges, including harboring illegal immigrants, aggravated identity theft, and unlawful transfer of false identification documents. Should they be convicted, the prosecution aims to seize any gains obtained through these alleged criminal activities.
A Broader Trend
This case underscores a concerning trend in the poultry and meat industries, where oversight on third-party cleaning contractors has raised alarms. Investigations conducted in the past year have revealed similar patterns, prompting fines totaling $1.5 million across multiple states for other companies involved in exploiting child labor.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is currently presiding over this serious federal criminal case, which has far-reaching implications for labor practices in the poultry industry.
For more information, visit the source article on Food Safety News.
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