Men Expect To Plead Guilty In Meat Theft Case

Two men are expected to plead guilty to attempting to steal a truckload of beef from a Kansas slaughterhouse in a case that prosecutors say exemplifies a relatively new form of identity theft in which suspects pose as a legitimate trucking firm to steal cargo.

A change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for Tuesday in Wichita for Oganes (O-gan’-us) and Tigran (Tee’-gran) Nagapetian (Nag-o-pee’shun).

Prosecutors charged the brothers in April with conspiracy, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession and production of false documents.

The indictment alleges they tried to steal a truckload of meat from a Tyson plant in Holcomb in 2011.

Prosecutors allege they assumed a Pennsylvania trucker’s identity. The plan was foiled after an Ohio freight broker noticed discrepancies in the trucking firm’s insurance documents and alerted authorities.