PROVIDENCE - A federal grand jury in Providence today returned a three-count indictment charging a Johnston, Rhode Island, beef slaughterhouse and its owners with affixing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection stamps on beef products without authorization of the USDA.
It is alleged in the indictment that Rhode Island Beef and Veal, Inc., and its owners, Michael A. Quattrucci and Joel Quattrucci, intended to defraud its customers by using an official mark of inspection, a USDA stamp, on beef, falsely representing that the beef had been inspected and passed by the USDA when, in fact, it had not.
It is also alleged in the indictment that the defendants prepared beef for use as food at establishments preparing such beef for commerce, without complying with the requirements of the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case, announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Paul Kiecker, Administrator of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chafee.
The matter was investigated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
