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Last Updated: May 5, 2009 - 12:58:27 PM |
SATURDAY FEB 16, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- San Bernardino County Friday filed felony charges against a former Chino slaughterhouse manager and his subordinate who allegedly used cruel methods to force sick and old non-ambulatory cows to stand on its feet and walk passing the USDA's inspection to the slaughter box, Los Angeles Times reported.
The charges come weeks after the Humane Society of the United States released a secretly taped video showing the plant workers at Hallmark Meat Packing abused downers- cows that could not walk and are not eligible to be killed as a meat source. Downers are likely to harbor serious diseases such as mad cow disease and other infectious diseases.
The video showed at least one sick cow was processed into meat. Hallmark was the second-largest supplier of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program, prompting schools nationwide to withdraw beef from this supplier. Hallmark operations have been suspended and may be allowed after the problem is corrected.
Daniel Ugarte Navarro, 49, the slaughterhouse manager faces up to eight years and eight months in prison if convicted of the five felony counts of animal cruelty and three misdemeanor charges of illegal movement of downers. Luis Sanchez, 32, who worked as Navarro's assistant for the plant for a few years faces up to three years in prison if convicted of three misdemeanor counts.
Sanchez regretted, according to Los Angeles Times, his actions, but said he simply followed the manager's order or he would be fired. He is an undocumented worker from Mexico.
Navarro told Chino police, according to the Los Angeles Times, that Donny Hallmark, former owner of the plant, instructed him to use cruel tricks to get animals up with the forklift or holding water hoses to the nostrils of cattle.
Prosecutors are also considering action against the management of Hallmark for alleged unfair business practices.
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