Rean Brook, the former manager of San Angelo-based meatpacking plant Texas Packing Company, pleaded guilty to concealing information from federal regulators.
Brooks admitted he concealed knowledge about toxic chemical levels at the processing facility in 2018. Texas Packing Company was operating its refrigeration unit, which contained anhydrous ammonia, in violation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
“Federal laws require employers to undertake steps that limit exposure to toxic substances to employees and the public,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “Criminals that deceive regulators and skirt the law, potentially putting lives at risk, will be held accountable for their actions.”
High exposure to anhydrous ammonia can result in temporary or permanent blindness; severe burns; corrosive damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach; asphyxiation; and death. The packing plant was fined $615,640 by OSHA, one of the largest OSHA fines in 2018. Brooks faces up to three years in federal prison for his crimes and a fine up to $250,000. A sentencing date has not been set.
