MONTICELLO — Some unexpected stirring broke up the monotony of an otherwise peaceful spring day in the Village of Monticello this week. On Wednesday, May 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a federal agency, arrived at Sabrosura Foods to conduct an investigation.
Special Agent Allison Landsman of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division said federal agents were executing a federal search warrant at the site against Wisconsin Cheese Group and Sabrosura, located on Coates Avenue in Monticello.
“We investigate environmental crimes. We can’t get into more detail than that. When we execute a federal search warrant, it’s because we have probable-cause to believe that an environmental crime has been committed, and we’re there for gathering more information to see if that can be substantiated or not.”
Repeated attempts to contact Sabrosura for comment were made by the Monroe Times on Wednesday and Thursday, but all attempts went unanswered.
North Main Street was blocked off by a DNR Conservation Warden pickup truck. Federal agents were taking and testing samples in the facility’s back parking lot, while other investigators peered inside and outside the facility for further evidence. Landsman said the investigation regards alleged environmental crimes.
The EPA receives allegations of potential environmental crimes “all of the time,” Landsman said, and then the agency investigates in an attempt to substantiate those claims.
After the investigation is complete, Landsman said the agency would then turn over their findings to the U.S. District Attorney’s office in Madison, and that office would be the one that would file any charges in court.
“The Department of Justice is ultimately the ones that will decide whether anything moves forward or not,” Landsman said.
Agents were on site at least into Wednesday evening. Landsman said earlier in the day Sabrosura employees were given the option to leave for the day or stay. Some stayed, and some went home.
“We didn’t detain anybody. We’re not holding anybody in custody. Everybody is free to go if they wish to go,” she said. “There are some employees that have chosen to stay and they’ve been able to maintain operations as normal to my knowledge. ... but I believe some have also gone home for the day.”
Neither Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were on scene, Landsman said.
“From the federal side of the house, it is just EPA CID (here). ICE is not here — ICE is not involved,” Landsman said.
“We can’t get into any of the details of the allegations or the details of the potential violations because it is an ongoing investigation,” Landsman said. “But obviously we are the Environmental Protection Agency so we are interested in protecting human health and the environment.”