Man admits to crimes involving undocumented workers at Perdue

By Linda Cicoira

One of several suspects connected to a cleaning company hired by Perdue in Accomac pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Norfolk to two criminal charges involving a scheme to supply undocumented workers, including young teenagers, with fake identification so they could work at the local plant.

The scheme came to light after a 14-year-old boy from Guatemala, who lived near the plant, was severely injured several years ago while cleaning a drumstick packing line conveyor belt. Federal law prohibits companies from employing anyone under 18 in meat processing plants due to hazardous conditions. Authorities alleged that Fayette Janitorial Service LLC, also known as Fayette Industrial, employed 15 underage workers at the Accomac facility.

John Leonard Mitchum, a former division manager for Fayette who primarily worked at the company’s Tennessee headquarters from March 2018 through September 2024, admitted to conspiring to defraud the United States. That charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively with any other sentence.

As part of a plea agreement, several charges were dropped, including harboring undocumented immigrants, unlawful transfer of false identification documents, paying employees with prepaid payroll cards instead of traditional bank accounts, reusing fraudulent IDs, and exploiting minors in unsafe working conditions. Mitchum is also subject to asset forfeiture and is not exempt from potential state prosecution.

He agreed to pay a $200 special assessment and an unspecified amount of restitution to cover the victim’s losses. Court records indicate Mitchum earned nearly $400,000 while employed at Fayette, though it is unclear whether that figure reflects his total earnings or annual salary. He also agreed to provide financial records, including tax returns from the previous five years.

Bond was continued until his sentencing hearing, scheduled for September. Mitchum is restricted to travel within Maryland, Delaware, and the Eastern District of Virginia. Two Spanish interpreters were used during the hearing.

Mitchum oversaw Fayette’s contracts at approximately six plants and regularly traveled to the Accomac facility. A statement of facts filed with the court states that Mitchum conspired with Jolie Pereira, a clerk who later became a regional human resources manager responsible for reviewing citizenship and immigration documents, and Elmer Soto Escalante, also known as Luis E. Ortiz-Martinez, a Fayette manager at the local plant. Escalante, who was not legally authorized to work in the United States, also reviewed paperwork to verify other employees.

The investigation, which included interviews with plant employees and local high school students, revealed that the company employed minors and young adults, many of whom attended Arcadia High School.