Workers 'kicked, stomped and beat turkeys' at central PA farms, police say

Eleven people from York, Franklin and Adams counties have been charged with the inhumane treatment of turkeys at seven farms in central Pennsylvania, according to state police.

The workers, who were employed by Plainville Farms, "kicked, stomped and beat turkeys" at farms in Franklin, Chester, Cumberland, Fulton, Perry and Union counties, state police allege. Their job was to capture and crate the birds to be taken to food processing plants.

A complaint filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals prompted the investigation, which started in August 2021, a news release states. An employee with the organization witnessed the abuse.

"This was a lengthy, detailed investigation that involved reviewing a lot of evidence at multiple locations," Cpl. Michael Spada, an animal cruelty officer in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Investigative Services Section, said in the release. "I'd like to thank the outside agencies for their involvement and Plainville Farms for their cooperation."

Plainville, one of the nation's leading turkey producers, advertises its turkeys as “humanely raised," though the company was suspended from an animal welfare and labeling program run by Global Animal Partnership.

Plainville has “zero tolerance for anything like the alleged actions of these former employees," said Matt Goodson, the company’s chief executive officer. The company fired the employees implicated in the abuse, began using stationary and body cameras during the catching process, and took other measures to prevent a recurrence, he said.

“Plainville remains committed to the highest welfare standards for our animals and customers. We believe that it’s important for incidents like this to come to light in order to challenge our industry to do better,” he said in a statement Thursday.

The company’s turkey products are sold at supermarket chains including Publix and Wegmans.

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PETA said in a news release that it is "the largest number of charges in any factory-farmed animal case in U.S. history."

“Nothing can take back the suffering that all these helpless and gentle turkeys endured at Plainville Farms, but these charges show other meat companies that cruelty has consequences,” PETA Vice President of Evidence Analysis Daniel Paden said in the release. 

State police said it filed six felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, 76 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, and 57 related summary offenses.

The defendants are:

• Bryce P. Washington, 26, of McSherrystown
• Miguel Turi Cantellano, 65, of McSherrystown
• Juan Turi Baeza, 37, of McSherrystown
• Jason K. Turner, 22, of Hanover
• Bryiant O. Perez-Paez, 40, Hanover
• Francisco M. Lebron-Cruz, 39, of Thomasville
• Jose E. Turi Baeza, 29, of New Oxford
• Kevin L. Wagaman, 49, of Fayetteville
• Mitchell E. Buckley, 23, of Aspers
• Christopher S. McArdle, 37, of Gettysburg
• Joseph Nunez Rosario, 41, of York

The Associated Press contributed to this report.