Wis. Man Gets Jail Time For Meatpacking Plant Fire

DINESH RAMDE

MILWAUKEE (AP) — An Iraq veteran whose military flare sparked a costly fire at a meatpacking plant this summer was sentenced Thursday to jail time, probation and community service.

The fire caused at least $50 million in damage at the Patrick Cudahy plant in Cudahy, a Milwaukee suburb.

Joshua J. Popp, 23, was charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. In exchange for his guilty plea in August, prosecutors agreed to recommend a far lighter sentence.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Dennis Cimpl largely followed the recommendation, sentencing Popp to 90 days in jail, three years of probation and 500 hours of community service. If Popp violates the terms of his probation, he'll be sentenced to prison time.

Popp acquired the flare about two years ago when he was in the U.S. Marine Corps. He let his brother fire it July 5, and it landed on the roof of a building at the plant.

The plant, which is owned by Smithfield Foods Inc., was nearly empty because of the holiday weekend. The flare sparked a blaze that raged for days and destroyed four buildings. Thousands of residents were evacuated, but no one was hurt.