HOKE COUNTY, N.C.,None — A state agriculture official is charged with obstructing an investigation at a North Carolina Butterball farm.
Dr. Sarah Mason is charged with tipping the farm off about the December raid.
On Wednesday, Hoke County deputies arrested several farm employees on animal cruelty charges.
An undercover video released to YouTube shows turkeys being kicked and carried by the neck. At one point, workers are throwing the turkeys into the side of a truck.
Another video clearly shows injured and bleeding turkeys.
Back in December, Butterball released a statement on the allegations.
“Butterball takes these allegations very seriously and fully supports the efforts being made on the part of officials,” the statement read.
The investigation started after the group Mercy for Animals released the following video on YouTube.
(WARNING: Graphic images)