Details:
Agriprocessors defendants enter not guilty pleas
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- Agriprocessors, its former CEO and another employee have entered written not guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids after a third superseding indictment.
Thursday's arraignment was canceled after the company, former CEO Sholom Rubashkin and Brent Beebe entered written pleas. They face 12 charges involving harboring and aiding and abetting undocumented workers, identity theft and bank fraud.
Authorities haven't located two other employees charged.
The Agriprocessors plant in Postville was the site of an immigration raid in May.
The revised indictment doesn't alter the previous charges. It adds a provision requiring all of the defendants, if convicted, to forfeit proceeds, including the Agriprocessors name, trademarks and corporate stock.
The two 'missing' employees are Hosam Amara (who also is alleged to have extorted illegal workers and run a used car scam), and Zeev Levi. Amara is in Israel. Levi is believed to be there, as well.
The employee who entered a plea of not guilty today is Brent Bebee,
All three are former Agriprocessors managers.