A cheese maker accused of lying to state regulators while they investigated a food-poisoning outbreak that caused dozens of people to become ill pleaded no contest a day before he was to go to trial.
William J. Marten, 65, a cheese maker at Cloverleaf Cheese Inc. of Stanley, changed his innocent plea to no contest, averting a trial that was to begin Wednesday in Clark County Circuit Court.
Marten was charged with one misdemeanor count of impeding state Department of Agriculture trade and consumer protection employees.
A criminal complaint alleged Marten told investigators the cheese factory did not use raw, unpasteurized milk for cheese that was sold to stores. However, inspectors later learned that raw milk was used to make cheese curds.
A judge ordered Marten to pay a $1,000 fine.
The state indefinitely suspended the dairy’s license June 25 after about four dozen people, mostly in Chippewa and Eau Claire counties, got sick from eating cheese curds. Cheese production at the plant resumed July 7.
