BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A former employee of a container manufacturing plant, located in Hart County, Kentucky, pled guilty in United States District Court to tampering with consumer products Friday before United States District Judge Greg N. Stivers, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
In 2016, Waylon J. Horton, age 44, worked as an employee of the container manufacturing plant in the area of Print Set-Up on the production line for Styrofoam drinking cups at a specific company facility in Horse Cave, Kentucky. On two separate occasions in July 2016, Horton, with reckless disregard for the risk of death or bodily injury it might cause, placed pieces of broken glass in Styrofoam drinking cups that were then shipped to fast food restaurants. Glass pieces were subsequently found in cups at three different restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. After receiving complaints, the container manufacturing plant put the distribution of Styrofoam cups that were produced in its facility on hold and seven additional boxes containing Styrofoam cups with broken glass were ultimately found.
At sentencing, Horton could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and fined up to $250,000. According to the plea agreement, Horton will also owe restitution in an amount to be determined at sentencing. Horton is scheduled for sentencing before Judge Greg N. Stivers on October 11, 2018, at 9:45 AM in Bowling Green.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Gregory and Marisa Ford and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hart County Sheriff’s Office.
