Beef plant conviction sends man to prison instead of college

The Clarion-Ledger, 1/9/9

A Georgia businessman who irked a federal judge by asking to be sentenced to community service with the community and junior colleges was sentenced Thursday to eight months in federal prison for making an illegal campaign contribution to former Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove.

Nixon Cawood is one of three former executives charged in a federal investigation into the failure of Mississippi Beef Processors, which closed three months after it opened in 2004, costing 400 jobs and taxpayers $55 million in state-backed loans.

Before sentencing Thursday morning, Cawood’s attorney, Craig Gillen, told U.S. District Judge Mike Mills that Cawood had offered to be a facility planner for all 15 community and junior colleges.