Frederick Scott Salyer’s defense team accuses FBI and informants of misconduct
Defense attorneys for jailed tomato king Frederick Scott Salyer are seeking to discredit the government’s case against him, accusing the FBI and its informants of a pattern of misconduct including theft, unconstitutional searches and destruction of key documents.
The accusations — part of a series of documents filed Tuesday in federal court in Sacramento by Salyer’s lead counsel, Malcolm Segal — attack the foundation of the years-long federal investigation of Salyer and his agribusiness empire. Salyer’s company, SK Foods, inflated prices on millions of pounds of processed tomatoes sold to 55 companies in 22 states, according to prosecutors. It was a scheme, the government has alleged, that ripped off consumers and reaped big profits for Salyer.
In a 32-page motion to suppress much of the evidence gathered against Salyer, Segal alleged that the FBI obtained documents from Anthony Manuel, an SK Foods vice president of sales, without a warrant. The motion also alleges that Manuel stole numerous documents at the behest of the FBI and that lead FBI agent Paul Artley didn’t follow agency protocol, among other things.
“As Manuel stole the records, Agent Artley logged them into his FBI evidence files and knowingly and intentionally used the illegally seized materials to enhance and further his investigation, apply for Title III wire interceptions and obtain search warrants,” Segal wrote.
The motion also alleged that Artley penned a script for a second informant to use during the investigation, then told the informant to later shred the instructions.
First Assistant U.S. Atty. Carolyn Delaney said in a statement, “We are confident that the investigation was handled properly, and we will vigorously represent the interests of the United States in court.”
