A Wisconsin man has been arrested and federally charged for allegedly inserting metal and paper into sausages on the Johnsonville Sausage processing line.
Kiel, Wisconsin, resident Jonathan Tilman Lane was a contract worker from another company who was placed on a job assignment working as a part of the processing line making sausage at Johnsonville Sausage, LLC.
On March 25, Lane reported to his supervisor about finding a piece of paper inside of one of the sausages on the line. Three days later he approached the supervisor again and said that he had discovered a wire connector in a piece of sausage.
Johnsonville closed the plant due to their alarm for the safety of the public and disposed of all of the sausage links they suspected may have been tampered with.
The factory surveillance videos recorded on March 25 and March 28 were reviewed and it was discovered that a man fitting Lane’s description had put the paper and metal inside of the products.
27-year-old Lane was taken into custody and booked at the Kenosha County Jail where he is facing charges of two counts of tampering with a consumer product, which holds a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and up to $250,000 in fines if he is found guilty, with up to 3 years of supervision after his release.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin confirmed Johnsonville’s statement that none of the tainted sausages left the factory.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a federal crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.