Federal prosecutors are hoping the release of a former construction executive will help their case against others accused in a beef plant scandal that cost Mississippi taxpayers millions.
U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers Jr. reduced Sean Carothers’ prison term from 21 months to a year and a day. He said Monday that Carothers will serve the remaining seven months on house arrest.
In court documents, prosecutors wrote that Carothers “spent hundreds of hours of his time analyzing documents and creating demonstrative evidence of approximately $2 million in overbillings by The Facility Group, the company that oversaw and managed the construction of the beef processing plant. … Carothers’ assistance was instrumental in uncovering the fraudulent scheme.”
“We anticipate that Mr. Carothers will again be needed in our office for a substantial number of hours each week as we prepare our case,” prosecutors wrote.
Magnolia Tribune
