Alleged employment tax violations at heart of ICE-raided plant issues

The owner of a Tennessee meat plant where immigration officials conducted a raid last week is being accused of “willfully” attempting to skirt federal employment tax rules and filing false federal tax returns, according to the IRS search request that led to the raid. The affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court , Eastern District of Tennessee, Greenville Division, accused Southeastern Provision President James Brantley and others at the family-owned company of the tax charges in addition to employing “illegal aliens” in violation of federal laws. The 26-page affidavit said an investigation found that Brantley, his wife, daughter and another employee specifically paid Hispanic workers at the meat plant a total of more than $25 million in cash on a weekly basis since 2008.