Former State Dept. of Ag Employee Pleads Guilty to Fake Mad Cow Reports

Cozad man pleads guilty to fake mad cow reports

Feb 18, 2011 4:31pm Email Print LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) —

A Cozad man has pleaded guilty to mailing false reports for a federal mad cow disease inspection program. The Lincoln Journal Start reports that Galen Niehues pleaded guilty Thursday to mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Lincoln.

During the hearing, prosecutors said Niehues was employed by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture between July 2009 and March 2010 to perform on-site inspections of places where feed was manufactured and cattle fed to take sample and test compliance with rules to prevent the spread of mad cow disease.

Prosecutors say Niehues devised a scheme to get paid for work he didn't do and submitted 92 false reports showing he done the inspections and collected the required samples.

Niehues faces up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing is set for May 13.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com