041136 Woman Sentenced for Storing Meat in Unsanitary Conditions

Kansas City, MO - A woman whose defunct food processing and distribution company allowed thousands of pounds of meat to become contaminated by rodents has been sentenced to probation.

Linh Vi Lam, 47, pleaded guilty in June to federal charges of offering adulterated food for sale. U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan Jr. sentenced her to two to three years probation and fined her $5,000.

According to U.S. Attorney Todd P. Graves, Lam admitted storing 6,935 pounds of beef, pork and lamb in unsanitary conditions. Graves said that meat, along with 22,780 pounds of contaminated chicken, was destroyed before it could be distributed.

The problem was discovered in April 2001. For about a month, Graves said, the plant manager had swept away rodent droppings before inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture made their regular visits.

Lam owns Lam Foods Inc., which did business as Big Bird Poultry. The company processed cuts of chicken and other meat for distribution to hotels and restaurants in the Kansas City area. Though Big Bird Poultry is no longer in business, Lam continues to operate Lam Foods Inc.

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