Jury convicts brothers in crop insurance case
Jury convicts brothers in crop insurance case
Aaron and Derek Johnson, who farm potatoes near Grand Forks, ND, will be sentenced in federal court on March 9 following their conviction on felony counts of conspiracy and making false statements to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency and law enforcement officials. A unanimous jury returned the guilty verdict in Fargo, ND, Dec. 11 after five hours of deliberation.
Tried as individuals, each brother could face up to 20 years prison time.
Aaron Johnson, age 50, and Derek Johnson, age 47, were accused of taking advantage of the federal government's crop insurance program. At the time charges were filed, it was alleged that the brothers purposefully damaged their potato crops from 2002 to 2010. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, the damage included the application of Rid-X to potatoes, use of warehouse heaters to hasten product deterioration, and addition of spoiled and frozen potatoes to stored product.
The brothers denied all charges in the case. In addition to the above charges, Aaron Johnson was also convicted of lying to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.
The jury reached its verdict after eight days of testimony. Although more than 20 people testified during the proceeding, the government's key witness was Leo Borgen, who worked at the farm. Borgen is a convicted felon, currently serving time in Jamestown, ND, for an unrelated crime. He testified that he had firsthand knowledge of the brothers' activities.
The federal crop insurance program helps farmers recover from natural disasters. Prosecutors said the brothers received payments of approximately $2 million for damaged crops. During the trial, other area potato farmers testified about the condition of their own crops during the time frame in question.