DENVER — On Oct. 16, US Department of Justice attorneys asked for the dismissal of charges for two former Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., executives who were on trial for alleged participation in a conspiracy to fix prices for broiler chickens.

Federal prosecutors filed a motion asking US District Judge Daniel D. Domenico to drop the charges against Jason McGuire, former executive vice president of sales for Prepared Foods at Pilgrim’s, and Timothy Stiller, a former general manager of Fresh Food Services and Small Bird Debone.

The original price-fixing case from the US Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that the executives were part of a nationwide conspiracy to fix prices and rig bids for broiler chicken products at least as early as 2012 until at least 2019. The allegations included companies coordinating pricing for restaurants, grocery stores and wholesale chicken buyers.

Pilgrim’s Pride entered a plea agreement in October 2020 with the DOJ over charges the poultry processor engaged in a price fixing scheme and agreed to pay $110.5 million.

A mistrial was called in the original trial in December 2021 after jurors failed to reach a verdict after four days of deliberations. In late March, the DOJ dropped five executives from the case following a second failed attempt by prosecutors to convict the executives. 

In February 2022, McGuire’s lawyers first asked for a dismissal of the case. A few months later, a Denver federal grand jury returned an indictment against the two defendants. 

In June 2022, US District Judge Philip Brimmer allowed the DOJ to attempt to present its case for a third time on the matter.

Then in July 2022, a third trial found five executives not guilty of price fixing charges. 

One month later, charges were dropped against former executives Wesley “Scott” Tucker and Justin Gay. 

 All recent coverage of price-fixing cases can be found on the MEAT+POULTRY website.