Three charged in federal court for Tyson thefts
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 12:35 p.m., February 5, 2008
Updated 12:35 p.m., February 5, 2008
Three people have been indicted on allegations that they stole food products from Tyson Foods.
According to an announcement from Jim Cross of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Wichita, the men are charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property. The crimes are alleged to have occurred during 2004 and 2005.
The charges were filed against Alvin A. Martin, 48, and John T. Stanley, 47, of Edwardsville, Kan., and Taff Virden, 33, of Woodson, Ark.
“Martin, Stanley and Virden are accused of conspiring to steal pallets of food products from the Tyson Foods warehouse in Olathe, Kan., and transport them by truck to Arkansas and elsewhere,” Cross said.
The indictment states that Stanley, alleged to be a Tyson employee, was one of several people who were responsible for loading food products from Tyson’s warehouse onto pallets and loading them into trucks for delivery.
Martin allegedly drove a truck that delivered goods from Tyson’s warehouse to other states for sale.
The indictment alleges that food products stolen from Tyson were delivered to Taff Virden in Arkansas.
“The defendants communicated in a series of phone calls and exchanged money via Western Union money transfers,” Cross said in a news release.
Each defendant, if convicted, faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge.
The charge of transporting stolen property carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation worked the case, which will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marietta Parker.
cutty_angel (anonymous) says...
well i think it is not right and u people should be more on a look out for wat people bring and take out of TYSON
February 5, 2008 at 6:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thatoneguy (anonymous) says...
Your blaming Tyson for not being on the lookout? The article says the warehouse worker and the driver were both in on it. It would be almost impossible to get caught right off the bat.
February 6, 2008 at 1:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )