Rubashkin faces up to 20 years in prison

Sholom M. Rubashkin (Courtesy Failed Messiah)

Sholom Rubashkin, the former chief executive officer and vice president of Agriprocessors, has been charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with conspiracy to harbor undocumented aliens for profit, aiding and abetting document fraud, and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft. Both the conspiracy and document fraud charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and $250,000 in fines. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, Rubashkin will face a mandatory consecutive two years imprisonment and up to $250,000 fine.

If convicted on federal immigration-related charges, Rubashkin, 49, will face up to 20 years behind bars.

The son of the company’s founder, A. Aaron Rubashkin, Sholom is the first member of the kosher meatpacking plant’s upper management to face criminal charges stemming from the massive May 12 immigration raid on the Postville facility.

Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Rubashkin this morning without incident at his Postville home. He appeared in federal court this afternoon, waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. The case is now bound over for consideration by a grand jury.

Rubashkin was released with a GPS ankle tracking device after his initial appearance. He must remain in northeastern Iowa, and both he and his wife, Leah, have surrendered their passports. Rubashkin also has to provide a $1 million appearance bond with $500,000 to be secured by Nov. 5.

The charges against Rubashkin come in the wake of a nearly $10 million assessment against the company by the Iowa Labor Commissioner for wage-related offenses, and a guilty plea by a former human resources worker at the plant. A second human resources employee continues to await trial. The company has also been charged by the state with more than 9,000 violations of child labor laws.

Prior to the May immigration raid Agriprocessors was the largest producer of kosher meat in the U.S.