Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 4/9/18


The owner of a Tennessee meat plant where immigration officials conducted a raid last week is being accused of “willfully” attempting to skirt federal employment tax rules and filing false federal tax returns, according to the IRS search request that led to the raid.

The affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court , Eastern District of Tennessee, Greenville Division, accused Southeastern Provision President James Brantley and others at the family-owned company of the tax charges in addition to employing “illegal aliens” in violation of federal laws. The 26-page affidavit said an investigation found that Brantley, his wife, daughter and another employee specifically paid Hispanic workers at the meat plant a total of more than $25 million in cash on a weekly basis since 2008. 

An undercover informant also provided information that he completed no paperwork and was never asked to provide identification or documentation before being hired. He also was told he could use his real name and be paid on a cash basis as a supervisor who spoke both English and Spanish. The informant also reported that several workers at one point worked at another unidentified meat processing plant, but were fired for having fraudulent identification paperwork, the affidavit noted.
Last week’s raid by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) involved the arrest of 97 people with 54 ultimately placed in detention and 32 others being released from custody.

Southeastern Provision officials have yet to make any public statements on the raid or the investigation into alleged tax fraud, including not returning several phone calls from Meatingplace seeking comment.

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