A 49-year-old former worker at a Kellogg's food manufacturing facility in Memphis, Tennessee faces up to three years in prison after he urinated on a conveyor belt carrying cereal.
Gregory Stanton worked for the plant in 2014 and two years later, he posted a video online of him in the act. The incident affected three popular brands: Rice Krispies Treats, Rice Krispies Cereal and Puffed Rice Cakes. Since the video was posted two years after the incident, the affected product likely made it onto the shelves.
The video triggered an investigation that included the Food & Drug Administration and local law enforcement.
Last week, Stanton pleaded guilty to tampering with consumer products after being indicted in September. He is set to be sentenced on February 28, 2019, and he faces up to three years imprisonment; three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
Stanton hasn’t said why he peed on the conveyor belt, but multiple reports state that the company was amidst a labor dispute with the union at the time.
I reached out to Kellogg's and the company provided the following statement, "It has been more than two years since this incident came to our attention, and we are pleased that the responsible individual was brought to justice. We want to thank the Food & Drug Administration and US Attorneys’ office for their commitment to this case."
In a press release, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant says, "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."
Robert M. Hiser, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Miami Field Office says, "Maintaining the safety and wholesomeness of the U.S. food supply is a critical priority for the FDA … Today’s announcement should serve as a clear reminder that the FDA will not tolerate illicit tampering activity in our nation’s food supply."
Stanton is facing three years, keep it your pants people.
