Memphis, TN - A local man has pleaded guilty to one-count of tampering with consumer products. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.
On Sept. 11, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Gregory Stanton, 49, for tainting consumer products with the intent to cause serious injury to the business of any person.
In 2014, Stanton worked at a food manufacturing plant in Memphis. Stanton made a video recording of himself tampering with the production line at the plant. The defendant then uploaded the video to the internet in 2016.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "American citizens and consumers rely upon food manufacturers engaged in interstate commerce to provide them with safe and consistent products. Unfortunately, this defendant betrayed that trust by tampering with and tainting food products. We commend the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for their investigation in this matter, and we are pleased that the defendant has been held accountable for his criminal conduct."
"Maintaining the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply is a critical priority for the FDA, and the agency will work with food producers to identify steps that can be taken to remediate incidents that may implicate food safety," said Robert M. Hiser, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Miami Field Office. "Today’s announcement should serve as a clear reminder that the FDA will not tolerate illicit tampering activity in our nation’s food supply."
On Nov. 30, 2018, Stanton pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla.
Stanton is set to be sentenced on Feb. 28, 2019. He faces up to three years imprisonment; three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin is prosecuting this case on the government’s behalf.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
