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Worcester Store Settles Violations of Uninspected Meat Sales

By Patrick Sargent | February 21, 2019
Last Updated: February 2, 2021

WORCESTER – Since Oct. 2013, the owners J&W Aseda Marketplace at 753 Main St. have been warned by federal investigators about food safety violations on four separate occasions.

On Thursday, Feb. 21, the owners of the store —  Vida Causey and Wilton Causey — entered into a consent decree with the government stipulating that it will not violate food safety laws, and that it will be subject to strict penalties if violations are found in the future. The proposed consent decree was filed with the court and is awaiting judicial approval.

The decree permanently enjoins them from violating the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA).

According to the Dept. of Justice, the government filed its complaint after a series of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) surveillance activities of J&W Aseda Marketplace showed that the defendants had purchased, offered for sale, and sold meat products that were not inspected by the FSIS, and that they had failed to maintain appropriate business records concerning the purchase and sale of these products.

“The sale of uninspected meat products is a significant health risk to consumers,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “This consent decree is designed to prevent this business, and its owners, from further jeopardizing the health of customers.

Under the consent decree, USDA investigators will continue to have broad access to the premises of J&W Aseda Marketplace or any other establishment where Vida Causey and/or Wilton Causey sell, or offer for sale, meat food products. The defendants will also face significant financial penalties for any further violations of the FMIA.

“FSIS investigators are working hard every day to protect consumers,” said Carmen Rottenberg, FSIS Administrator. “We take our job to protect public health very seriously with swift action to ensure that American families have safe food to eat.”

In 2015, Vida Causey plead guilty to the theft of $3.6 million in food stamp benefits.

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