Former Cheese Factory Owner Gets Harsher Punishment Than Negotiated After Making Sarcastic Comment Towards Judge
Friday, July 10th, 2020 -- 10:11 AM
(Marshfield News Herald) -The former owner of a popular cheese factory who stole over $21,000 from dairy farmers got a harsher penalty than negotiated with prosecutors after telling a judge it sounded like a good idea.Michael J. Moran, 79, former owner of Wisconsin Dairy State Cheese Co. Inc., pleaded guilty Thursday to felony theft. As part of a plea agreement, Moran already paid back the money, gave up ownership of the business and would pay over $9,000 in fines and fees, Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Daniel Lennington said during the hearing. Wood County Circuit Court Judge Greg Potter ultimately sentenced Moran to one year probation and 100 hours of community service after Moran said the harsher punishment sounded like a good idea. Cheese plants typically write checks to farmers when the U.S. Department of Agriculture sets the price of milk higher than what the plant initially paid, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors say that from January 2012 to April 2018, Moran forged 83 farmers' signatures on the backs of those checks, put them into the cash register at his store and then deposited them in the bank at the end of the week. A total of 83 farmers reported a collective loss of $21,250.97, according to the state Justice Department. Of those victims, 21 were older than 60.
Moran's attorney, Stephen Meyer, said his client did a lot for the community and the agreement was fair. Moran and Dairy State Cheese had a symbiotic relationship; giving up the business and losing his reputation was already a huge punishment, Meyer said. Potter said Moran alone was responsible for ruining his own reputation and business and the 83 farmers Moran stole from were among the people who needed the money most in today's economy. After previously declining to make a statement, Moran said the farmers were providing poor-quality milk and the government was making him pay. Moran said farmers would laugh at him when he gave them the government checks and brag about being able to provide any quality of milk they wanted.
Potter said Moran acted like a vigilante. If the quality of milk was bad, there were legal ways to address the problem, Potter said. Without a plea agreement, Potter said he normally would sentence Moran to probation and community service. Before Potter could say more, Moran said, "Sounds good to me," before his attorney stopped him from speaking. Potter then altered the agreement and ordered Moran to serve one year of probation and 100 hours of community service. Potter said Moran could end up serving jail time, if he doesn't comply with the conditions of his probation.
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