Nevada Couple Pleads Guilty to Distributing Melamine-Tainted Gluten

Nevada Couple Pleads Guilty to Distributing Melamine-Tainted Gluten

Possible sentence of two years in prison, $200,000 fine

A Nevada couple pled guilty in federal court today to distributing melamine-tainted wheat gluten, the ingredient blamed for the illnesses of deaths of thousands dogs and cats nationwide during the massive 2007 pet food recall.

Sally Qing Miller, 43, a Chinese national, and her husband, Stephen S. Miller, 56 — along with their company, Chemnutra, Inc., — entered their guilty pleas late this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Maughmer.

Sally Miller is the controlling owner and president of Chemnutra; Stephen Miller is an owner and chief executive officer of Chemnutra.

Each of the co-defendants pleaded guilty to one count of selling adulterated food and one count of selling misbranded food.

"Millions of pet owners were impacted by the pet food recall in 2007," said Matt J. Whitworth, acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. "The conduct of these defendants in violating federal health and safety standards caused the deaths and illness of thousands of family pets, as well as anxiety among dog and cat owners across the country and economic harm to many pet food manufacturers."

FULL STORY: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/06/chinese_formula21.html#ixzz0Ipb6RESY&D