Jury: Fmr. Slaughterhouse Manager Guilty Of Fraud

NIGEL DUARA

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A former manager of an Iowa kosher slaughterhouse that was the site of a massive immigration raid was convicted Thursday on 86 financial fraud charges that could bring a prison sentence of hundreds of years.

Sholom Rubashkin still faces a second federal trial on 72 immigration charges.

Jurors returned the verdict against Rubashkin, 50, on their second day of deliberations after a nearly monthlong trial. Rubashkin had faced 91 charges, including bank, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering. He was found not guilty on five of 19 charges alleging he did not make timely payments to livestock dealers. A sentencing date was not immediately set.

"We respect the jury's hard work. It was a difficult case. We disagree with the verdict," defense attorney Guy Cook said after the decision. "There were many legal errors made by the prosecution in the trial of this case and following sentencing we will appeal."

Prosecutors offered no immediate comment and referred all questions to U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Bob Teig, who did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday evening.