Skip to main content

Puerto Rican pleads guilty to selling putrid pork

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A Puerto Rico businessman has pleaded guilty to selling thousands of pounds (kilograms) of putrid pork in the U.S. territory for more than a year.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Jose Suarez of Joshua Enterprises Inc. could face up to three years in prison after pleading guilty Wednesday to selling meat products unfit for human consumption.

Authorities say he sold putrid pork products from April 2009 to October 2010 after buying nearly 53,000 pounds (24,040 kilograms) of pork shoulders knowing they had been exposed to warm temperatures. He agreed to destroy some remaining 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms) of pork after the U.S. Department of Agriculture sampled it and found it unfit for human consumption.

Officials say they were not informed of anyone who became ill from eating the pork.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
Read Next Story