California Ranch Foods pleads guilty to two counts in a criminal case prosecuted by LA DA's office; two workers died after being exposed to nitrogen gas; plea agreement will cost them over 6.6 million plus $35 million settlement with families of the victims

California Ranch Foods, a subsidiary of Golden West Food Group, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts after being criminally charged in connection with the 2020 deaths of two workers fatally exposed to nitrogen gas.

The victims, Baldemar Gonsales and Maria Osyguss, died after a malfunction in the facility’s nitrogen system led to a hazardous gas release on December 1, 2020. Cal/OSHA's investigation found critical failures in safety procedures and training related to the handling of pressurized gas systems

What Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee said: “When employers fail to protect their workers and it results in a preventable death; California will hold them accountable. We will continue to use every tool available, including criminal referrals to ensure justice is served, and that safety is never optional.”

The case stems from a criminal referral by Cal/OSHA’s Bureau of Investigations (BOI) and was prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, California Ranch Foods must:

Invest $1.6 million in safety improvements at the facility

Pay $50,000 to BOI to support enforcement efforts

Serve three years of probation

Pay a $1 million criminal fine

Donate $4 million to local food banks

Acknowledge a $35 million civil settlement with the victims’ families

The Bureau of Investigations (BOI) is a specialized investigative unit within Cal/OSHA dedicated to investigating the most serious workplace injuries and fatalities.