Food Safety
search
Ask Food Safety AI
cart
facebook twitter linkedin instagram youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Sponsored Insights
    • Sponsored White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • NEWSLETTERS >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • ASK FSM AI
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

PCA’s Former Quality Manager Surrenders to Federal Prison

November 5, 2015

One of the main defendants in the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) trial has surrendered to federal prison, according to reports.

Forty-two year old Mary Wilkerson--PCA’s former quality assurance manager who was convicted for obstructing justice--was sentenced to 5 years in prison in September for her lying to investigators about shipments of Salmonella tainted peanut butter. The product lead to a widespread outbreak that caused 9 deaths and sickened at least 700 others in 2008 and 2009.

Initially, the mother of two remained free on $25,000 bond immediately following her sentencing while the Bureau of Prisons assigned her to a specific prison facility. Now, she has surrendered to a federal correctional facility in Marianna, FL. Although the prison is a medium-security facility for men, the campus does house women at a minimum-security location nearby where Wilkerson will stay.

In September, former PCA owner Stewart Parnell was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison--the heftiest punishment of all defendants in the case--for knowingly approving shipments of the contaminated peanut butter. His brother, Michael Parnell, will serve 20 years. Two co-defendants--Samuel Lightsey and Daniel Kilgore--both former plant managers at PCA--were ordered to serve 72 months (6 years) and 36 months (3 years) respectively.

Wilkerson’s 5 year sentence will be followed by 2 years of supervised probation.

Sign up for Food Safety Magazine’s bi-weekly emails!

 

 

 


Author(s): Staff

Looking for quick answers on food safety topics?
Try Ask FSM, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask FSM →

Share This Story

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Methods
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Food Prep/Handling
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    Risk Assessment
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to Newsletters
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Man In Warehouse
    Sponsored byRentokil

    Mitigating Hidden Rodent Risks in Food Facilities

  • an industrial manufacturing or processing facility
    Sponsored bybioMérieux

    Get Ahead of Spoilage in Food Manufacturing with Metagenomics for Preventive Monitoring

  • an automated industrial production line used in a modern food factory
    Sponsored byIFC

    A Formula for Food Processing Pest Management

Popular Stories

magnifying glass and books with fda logo overlay

FDA Releases 2026 Food Code With Updates on Food Defense, Employee Illness, Food Safety Management

iceberg lettuce growing

Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Taylor Farms Lettuce Ends with Nearly 13,000 Illnesses, Two Deaths

abbott nutrition logo wall plaque

Abbott Nutrition to Pay $385M Settlement for 2022 Infant Formula Shortage, Contamination Incident

allergens ebook

Events

September 22, 2026

From EFSA to Enforcement: Managing the Growing Complexity of EU MRLs

Live: September 22, 2026 at 11:00 am EDT: Attend this webinar to evaluate best practices for monitoring regulatory changes and protecting market access.

September 24, 2026

Benchmarking Foreign Material Contamination in 2026: What the Data Shows

Live: September 24, 2026 at 2:00 pm EDT:  From this webinar, attendees will learn what is driving investment decisions, and the factors FSQA and ops leaders weigh when making the case for new prevention technology.

September 29, 2026

How to Talk to Your Board of Directors About Food Safety

Live: September 29, 2026 at 11:00 am EDT: Attend this webinar to learn how to position food safety as a material enterprise risk with measurable financial, operational, and reputational impacts relevant to Board-level decision-making.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products

Related Articles

  • confined swine

    California Court Allows Slaughter Establishments to Pre-Sort Swine Prior to Federal Inspection

    See More
  • slabs of pork

    FSIS Responds to Federal Court Ruling on U.S. Pork Processing Plants' Line Speeds

    See More
  • US capitol building cloudy day

    Letter From 85 Congresspeople Urges End to Federal Public Health ‘Gag Order,’ Addressing Bird Flu

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 9781032369990 (1).webp

    Food Safety Quality Control and Management

  • 9781498721776.jpg

    Handbook of Food Processing: Food Safety, Quality, and Manufacturing Processes

  • Food-Forensics-3D.jpg

    Food Forensics Handbook Practice, Instrumentation, Case Studies

See More Products

Related Directories

  • Formers International

    Since 1975, Formers International has led the way in bag forming innovation. As a trusted forming tube and collar manufacturer, we continue to push boundaries by responding directly to customer needs with smarter, more efficient designs.
  • Cannabis Safety & Quality (CSQ)

    CSQ is a safety-driven company setting reliable cannabis industry standards to help companies minimize risk, protect their brand, and provide the best product for their consumers. CSQ is the first accredited cannabis certification program, and it was built in 2020 to meet ISO requirements and regulatory cannabis requirements from seed-to-sale.
  • FoodReady

    FoodReady offers complete Traceability, Food Safety & Quality, and Supply Chain software to digitize everything related to quality, food safety, sanitation, and traceability. FoodReady also offers complete consulting services for GFSI audit-preparation, HACCP consulting and development, process authority, FDA consulting, USDA consulting, and master sanitation consulting services from a team of longtime auditors, former Directors of Quality at the largest food companies.
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

Newsletters | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing