New owners hire defendant in Petaluma slaughterhouse case

One of the four men who pleaded guilty in the Rancho Feeding scandal continues to work at the Petaluma slaughterhouse that changed hands after investigators discovered a scheme by its previous owners to sneak diseased cows past federal inspectors, triggering an international meat recall.

Eugene Corda, 66, has worked since last spring as a yardman at the Petaluma Boulevard North facility, which is now operated by Marin Sun Farms. In a similar position under its previous owners, Corda acknowledged moving to the “kill chute” cattle with symptoms of eye cancer that had not received an examination by federal inspectors.

Both Marin Sun owner David Evans and several local farmers defended Corda’s ongoing employment, maintaining he is a skilled and patient animal handler who works under supervision and who isn’t involved in any way with the meat once the animals have been killed and processed.

“I believe in second chances,” said Evans, who called Corda’s work “wonderful and irreplaceable.”

Part of what makes Corda’s case noteworthy is the erroneous characterization of exactly what the longtime North Bay resident and animal handler has pleaded guilty to.

When Rancho co-owner Jesse “Babe” Amaral became the last of the four defendants to plead guilty in the case earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated in a press release that Corda had pleaded guilty in October to “conspiracy” to distribute tainted meat.

But on Wednesday, a representative from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco acknowledged the press release was incorrect and Corda actually had pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of distributing adulterated meat and aiding and abetting that distribution. That charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, compared to five years for conspiracy.

“We do absolutely apologize for the error,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Simmons.

Mark Coleman, a Fresno attorney who represents Corda, maintained that his client “did what he was told to do” by his employer when moving the animals before they had received the required inspection. Nonetheless, Corda admitted his wrongdoing and “accepted responsibility in entering this plea,” Coleman said.

Coleman noted that soon after the announcement of the charges in August, more than 60 people sent letters to the court attesting to Corda’s character.

Corda through his attorney declined comment.

The Rancho investigation rocked North Bay agriculture last year and initially left local ranchers fearful that Sonoma County’s last beef slaughterhouse would be permanently closed.

The plant shut down in February 2014 after recalling 8.7 million pounds of its beef and veal sold in the United States and Canada - all that was processed there in 2013. Roughly 44,000 retail establishments were involved in the recall, a USDA official has told local farmers.

The action caused considerable financial harm to North Bay ranchers who had used the plant for the custom slaughter of their grass-fed cattle and were ordered to dispose of any remaining meat. There were no reports of illness linked to the recall.

The plant was purchased by Marin Sun Farms and reopened in April. It provides processing services to local ranches and buys animals to process under its own brand for stores, restaurants and its own butcher shops.

The USDA has yet to say what responsibility its inspectors bear for the failure to stop Rancho from processing an estimated 180 condemned and diseased cattle and then selling the meat from those animals. But last August prosecutors announced charges against four men: co-owners Amaral and Robert Singleton, “kill floor” supervisor Felix Cabrera and Corda.

Singleton and Corda went on to plead guilty to distributing adulterated meat. Amaral and Cabrera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute the tainted meat. All four men still await sentencing.

Marin Sun owner Evans said that when Corda pleaded guilty, his work was suspended while Evans discussed the situation with his senior staff and some of the ranchers who use his services.

“Not one person felt that Gene should be let go,” Evans said. He explained that USDA regulations allow Corda’s continued employment at the facility because he isn’t in a supervisory role.

Several ranchers expressed strong support for Corda’s continued employment at the plant.

Julie Rossotti, a rancher outside Petaluma, said she finds it “reassuring” that Corda still works at the plant for Marin Sun because of the calm and humane way he treats her livestock.

“Gene, I trust him 100 percent with my animals,” said Rossotti.

Ranchers said they feel comfortable with both Corda’s character and his patient demeanor in handling livestock.

“I would have him working for me any day,” said Pete Langley, who raises hogs at DG Langley Farms near Petaluma.

“To me, Gene’s a total pro,” said Kyle Farmer of Magruder Ranch in Potter Valley. When arriving with a truckload of livestock at a slaughterhouse, “what’s most important is that you have somebody who knows how to unload animals in a low-stress way.”

You can reach Staff Writer Robert Digitale at 521-5285 orrobert.digitale@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @rdigit.