A manager at the Iowa egg farms linked to the nationwide salmonella outbreak in 2010 pled guilty to trying to bribe a federal inspector to allow the sale of unsafe eggs.
Tony Wasmund, age 61, from Willmar, Minnesota was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States. Wasmund is a former manager under Jack DeCoster, whose farms in Wright County were blamed for the outbreak.
At the plea hearing, Wasmund admitted that he conspired with at least one other person to bribe a public official, sell restricted eggs with intent to defraud, and sell misbranded food with intent to defraud and mislead.
According to the United States Attorney's Office, Wasmund admitted that, on or about April 12, 2010, as part of the conspiracy, he authorized the disbursement of $300 from a Wright County, Iowa, egg production business knowing the cash was to be used to bribe a USDA Inspector. The bribe was intended to influence the USDA Inspector to release for sale fresh shell eggs that the USDA had retained because they failed to meet USDA standards.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wasmund remains free on bond pending sentencing. Wasmund faces a possible maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment, a fine equal to the greater of twice the gross gain resulting from the offense, twice the gross loss resulting from the offense, or $250,000, a $100 special assessment, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
