New Hampshire man sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for inserting razor blades in pizza dough
12/02/2021 11:42 am PST
PORTLAND, Maine (TCD) -- On Thursday, a 39-year-old man accused of inserting razor blades into raw pizza dough at supermarkets in Maine and New Hampshire was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison.
Nicholas Mitchell worked for a Maine-based company that made pizza dough called “It’ll Be Pizza.” He allegedly walked into a supermarket in Saco, Maine, and “inserted razor blades in several of the pizza doughs and then returned the doughs to the display case,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Three people bought the pizza dough that day and discovered the blades inside. The dough from Hannaford stores had been pulled off shelves and recalled as authorities worked to investigate the crime.
Mitchell was initially arrested in October 2020 by the Dover Police Department. Mitchell originally pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Video surveillance from the market reportedly revealed Mitchell putting the blades in the dough on Oct. 5, 2020 at the Hannaford supermarket in Saco, Maine. He then pleaded guilty in June 2021 to the felony of tampering with a consumer product.
The Portland Press Herald reports that prior to the crime, Mitchell was charged with domestic violence assault after an argument with his girlfriend. He was reportedly forced to stay away from their apartment and began living out of a motel and then his car. Additionally, Mitchell was fired from his job for being late. According to the Portland Press Herald, Mitchell allegedly committed the crime as revenge against the company.
According to the Portland Press Herald, in addition to the prison sentence, Mitchell must also pay the supermarket chain Hannaford nearly $230,000 in restitution. In his sentencing hearing, Mitchell reportedly cried as he apologized to his family, the community, and Hannaford customers.
Mitchell will serve three years of supervised release after his incarceration, the Portland Press Herald reports. It’ll Be Pizza, which makes the dough, reportedly did not submit a restitution request.
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