Brooklyn cherry factory to plead guilty

September 22, 2015 Associated Press

Brooklyn D.A. Kenneth Thompson. Eagle file Youtube screenshot

Share this:

A Brooklyn cherry factory is expected to plead guilty to charges of possessing marijuana and dumping untreated wastewater into the sewer system.

The New York Times said Dell’s Maraschino Cherries will enter the plea on Tuesday. It says the company also will pay a $1.2 million settlement.

The family-run 70-year-old company will be allowed to continue to operate.

The company’s owner, Arthur Mondella, killed himself inside the building in February as authorities were searching the premises for possible environmental crimes.

Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said the agreement holds Dell’s accountable for its unlawful conduct and ensures the plant won’t be used for other illegal operations.

The company’s lawyer says Dell’s appreciates that the district attorney’s office hadn’t treated the business as harshly as it could have.