BIRMINGHAM, ALA. — A law firm representing Wesley “Scott” Tucker, a former national accounts sales executive for Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., said that the US Department of Justice moved to dismiss charges that alleged Tucker’s participation in a conspiracy to fix prices for broiler chickens.

Tucker, along with four other defendants who were also former employees of Pilgrim’s Pride, was the subject of a DOJ investigation and criminal antitrust prosecution. 

“We are gratified that the government has moved to dismiss these charges against Scott and that he can now begin to rebuild his personal life and professional career,” said Jack Sharman, a partner at Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC. “In a high-profile matter to which the government devotes significant resources, dismissals can be rare, and we are happy that the right outcome was reached.”

In July, the DOJ brought indictments against the executives regarding the ongoing price-fixing/bid-rigging case. 

Justin Gay, a former director of Fresh Foodservice Sales, also had his charges dropped. 

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.

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 attempt by prosecutors. 

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

Last month, a third trial found five executives not guilty of price fixing charges.