AKRON, OHIO — Fresh Mark Inc., a nationwide supplier of bacon, ham, hot dogs, deli, dry sausage and other specialty meat items under the Sugardale and Superior Brand Meats brands, agreed to pay a $3.7 million penalty for involvement in an identity theft scheme.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced on Dec. 31 that it entered into a non-prosecution agreement with Fresh Mark. Under the agreement, the fine of $3,719,997 will go to the federal Crime Victims Fund. In addition, Fresh Mark will abide by compliance reporting requirements for two years.

According to court documents, Yelwin Omar Munoz-Solis, a hiring manager at Fresh Mark’s Salem, Ohio, facility, conspired with others to steal identities of US citizens to give to Fresh Mark job applicants. Munoz-Solis certified I-9 documents, which are used to verify identity and employment eligibility in the United States.

Munoz-Solis was charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and to making false statements on immigration forms submitted to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Between 2013 and 2018, HSI agents arrested several Fresh Mark employees who used stolen identities to gain employment with the company.

On June 19, 2018, HSI served search warrants at Fresh Mark’s processing plants in Salem, Massillon, and Canton, Ohio, where investigators detained 146 illegal immigrants working at the facilities. Around 30 of those workers were later charged with various immigration violations in federal court.