07/13/05 — Man pleads guilty to running illegal slaughterhouse

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Man pleads guilty to running illegal slaughterhouse

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Published in News on July 13, 2005 1:45 PM

A Seven Springs man has pleaded guilty to operating an illegal slaughterhouse.

Jose Luis Morales was given a 45-day suspended sentence, ordered to pay a $250 fine and placed under unsupervised probation for two years.

Morales was charged last year with running an illegal slaughtering operation out of a backyard shed at 296 Whitfield Road in Mount Olive. An investigation by the state Department of Agriculture, Duplin County Sheriff's Department and Richlands Police Department led to the charges.

Investigators said he violated health laws by slaughtering hogs and selling the uninspected meat. Officers seized 436 pounds of meat and other products.