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Federal and state officials will release results today in Oxford of their yearlong criminal investigation
into the state-backed Mississippi Beef Processors in Yalobusha County.
Officials would not provide any details Wednesday or say if any charges would be filed in connection
with the failed beef processing facility in Oakland.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Hailman, chief of the criminal division for the northern district, would only
say the 11 a.m. news conference "will be in relation to progress in the Mississippi Beef investigation."
However, last month Attorney General Jim Hood and State Auditor Phil Bryant hinted about possible
criminal charges in the case.
"We are very close to some substantial movement in the criminal case," Bryant told The Clarion-Ledger
in December.
The investigation into Mississippi Beef Processors and its former president, Richard N. Hall Jr., and his
wife, Jill, began in late 2004.
The $43.5 million processing plant, built with a state grant and state-backed loan, opened in August 2004
with 400 workers but closed three months later because of equipment failure. The state has spent more than
$55 million on the plant, which includes grants, consulting fees and upkeep.
The state on June 2 paid off the $34.2 million balance on the state-guaranteed loan to Community Bank,
which financed construction of the plant. Lawmakers used money from a $100 million tax settlement with
MCI, the former Clinton-based company known as WorldCom, to retire the debt.
Community Bank now owns the facility. Officials from the bank did not return calls. Officials have not
commented on what charges, if any, would possibly be brought or who the targets of the probe were.
Initially, state officials let Hall oversee construction of the plant. After cost overruns, Georgia-based
Facility Group was hired for $3.4 million to supervise completion of the plant.
Jackson FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden indicated the probe was ongoing.
"Behind terrorism and cyber-crime, we are very, very dedicated to fighting public corruption at every
level. And to that end, we are covering every lead that is brought to us. And we would very much invite the
public's assistance in this and any other public corruption cases," Madden said.
Meanwhile, some of the dozen unpaid vendors hope they will have a chance to collect their money if
criminal charges are filed. Collectively they are owed $1.17 million.
Hall's attorney could not be reached Wednesday.
Ross Aldridge, a spokesman for State Auditor Phil Bryant, would not discuss specifics of the meeting.
Bryant will be attending the news conference.
Northern District U.S. Attorney Jim Greenlee sent out a statement about the news conference. The
following members of the investigation task force also are expected to attend: John Raucci, special agent in
charge of the FBI in Mississippi; Hood; District Attorney John Champion; John Allison, state
commissioner of the Department of Banking and Consumer Finance; and a representative from the Internal
Revenue Service.
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com |
