Excerpt:
A former Midamar operations manager pleaded guilty to making and delivering false USDA marks of inspection of shipments of Halal beef in federal court Monday.
Philip G. Payne, 50, of Ryan, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor conspiracy to make and deliver false certificates and writings. He faces a year in federal prison.
According to the criminal information, Payne and others at Midamar and Islamic Services of America, created the false certificates and writings in order to give the false impression that shipments of beef complied with import requirements of Malaysia and Indonesia where the beef was shipped and also complied with U.S. export requirements.