Ohio Meat Processing Company “Fresh Mark, Inc.” Enters into Non-prosecution Agreement for Scheme to Use Stolen Identities of U.S. Citizens for Workers

By Free Republic | Created at 2025-01-01 17:09:20 | Updated at 2025-01-06 12:23:10 4 days ago

Ohio Meat Processing Company “Fresh Mark, Inc.” Enters into Non-prosecution Agreement for Scheme to Use Stolen Identities of U.S. Citizens for Workers
Justice.gov ^ | 12/31/2024

Posted on 01/01/2025 8:49:24 AM PST by DFG

Company Agreed to Pay $3.7M Penalty for Aggravated Identity Theft and Obstruction Offenses Committed by Hiring Manager

Fresh Mark, Inc, has entered into a Non-prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio in connection with its hiring manager’s involvement in an identity theft scheme and subsequent obstruction of justice. The company was founded in 1920 and is a nationwide producer of processed meats under the Sugardale and Superior Brand Meats brands, along with several private labels. Between 2013 and 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents arrested multiple Fresh Mark employees who used stolen identities to gain employment with the company.

According to court documents, a hiring manager at Fresh Mark’s Salem facility, Yelwin Omar Munoz-Solis, 43, of Salem, Ohio, conspired with others to steal identities of U.S. Citizens and give them to job applicants at Fresh Mark’s meat processing plants. He then certified I-9 documents, which are used to verify identity and employment eligibility in the United States. Munoz-Solis was charged and subsequently plead guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements on immigration forms submitted to HSI.

HSI served search warrants at Fresh Mark’s processing facilities in Salem, Massillon, and Canton on June 19, 2018, where investigators detained 146 aliens working at the facility who were in the United States without legal status. Approximately 30 of those individuals were later charged with various immigration violations in federal court.

“Stealing identities to transfer to others not eligible to work is not an acceptable business practice,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Employers must ensure that their hiring practices comply with all federal laws, and businesses caught providing false statements to the government will be held to account.”

(Excerpt) Read more at justice.gov ...

TOPICS: US: Ohio
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1 posted on 01/01/2025 8:49:24 AM PST by DFG

To: DFG

I have been a victim of employment identity theft. These companies should be sued into bankruptcy. It has totally frigged up my tax and financial life.

2 posted on 01/01/2025 8:51:24 AM PST by Pol-92064

To: Pol-92064

They should be crushed and put out of business and jailed!

3 posted on 01/01/2025 8:53:45 AM PST by snork55 (theirs is not to wonder why, theirs is but to do or die... )

To: DFG

Regardless of fines, the identity theft crimes are prison felonies, how does business commit all these crimes like Wells Fargo, and yet no one goes to jail.

4 posted on 01/01/2025 8:57:19 AM PST by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))

To: Pol-92064

How did you find out and what can one do to clear this mess up?

5 posted on 01/01/2025 8:58:03 AM PST by BipolarBob (I injured myself measuring radio frequencies. It still Hertz.)

To: DFG

did they get um registered to vote using the stolen identities, too?

6 posted on 01/01/2025 8:58:22 AM PST by thinden (Buckle up …..)

To: DFG

Yelwin Omar Munoz-Solis

Well. I wonder what motivated him to break the law? /s

7 posted on 01/01/2025 9:00:31 AM PST by LouAvul (2 Sam 23:3: He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. )

To: DFG

8 posted on 01/01/2025 9:01:55 AM PST by Irenic

To: DFG

Is this a food processing plant owned by the Chinese?

9 posted on 01/01/2025 9:08:12 AM PST by GOPJ (KEEP AMERICA FOR AMERICANS if anyone wants to live in a hellhole they can MOVE to one.)

To: DFG

And the reason not to prosecute?

10 posted on 01/01/2025 9:09:11 AM PST by 9YearLurker

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