ALBANY, Ga. — Jeff Almer, the son of one of nine victims who died from tainted peanut butter, said in court to the man found responsible for her death, "You took my mom. You kicked her right of the cliff."
Minutes later on Sept. 21, former Peanut Corp. of America president Steward Parnell was sentenced to 28 years in prison, after the largest food recall in U.S. history. Parnell was convicted a year ago this month for knowingly shipping contaminated peanut butter and faking results in a series of lab tests intended to screen for salmonella – the cause of an outbreak that killed nine people and sickened more than 700 others, many seriously, across 48 states.
Almer’s 72-year-old mother, Shirley, from Perham, Minn., was battling back from cancer when she died after eating peanut butter in December 2008. Two other Minnesotans were among the other eight deaths.
During a lengthy investigation between 2008-10, federal investigators discovered a leaky plant roof where roaches and evidence of rodents were found among food products, all ingredients for brewing salmonella. Federal agents also uncovered company emails and records showing food confirmed by lab tests with salmonella was shipped to customers anyway.
Speaking just before sentencing, Parnell, 61, told the judge, "I am personally embarrassed, humiliated and morally disgraced by what happened. It’s been a seven-year nightmare for me and my family. All I can do is come before you and ask for forgiveness from you and the people back here (in court). I’m truly sorry for what happened."
Parnell’s brother, Michael, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and the plant’s former quality control manager, Mary Wilkerson, received five. Parnell was convicted of 67 criminal counts including conspiracy, wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
U.S. District Court Judge W. Louis Sands, of Georgia, estimated Parnell faced up to 803 years in prison. "These acts were driven simply by the desire to profit and to protect profits, notwithstanding the known risks" of salmonella, the judge said. "This is commonly and accurately referred to as greed."
The company shut down after filing bankruptcy five years ago. The tainted Peanut Corp. of America products included variations of peanut butter, snack crackers and pet foods.
