PITTSBURGH – A cheese company executive has been sentenced in federal court to three years’ probation, a $5,000 fine and 200 hours of community service on her conviction of one misdemeanor count of aiding and abetting the introduction of adulterated and misbranded cheese products into interstate commerce, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Michelle Myrter, 44, of Harmony, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Myrter was a responsible corporate officer of International Packing, LLC and Universal Cheese & Drying, Inc. While she was the responsible corporate officer for both companies, Myrter aided and abetted the companies’ introduction of adulterated and misbranded cheese products into interstate commerce, in violation of provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Universal Cheese & Drying, Inc. and International Packing, LLC each pled guilty to one count of conspiring to introduce misbranded and adulterated cheese products into interstate commerce and to commit money laundering. Sentencing hearings for the two companies will be scheduled by further order of the Court.
Prior to imposing sentence on Michelle Myrter, Judge Hornak stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to fulfill the purposes of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Myrter.