The former manager of the Agriprocessors plant in Postville was acquitted of child labor violations today in Black Hawk County. Sholom Rubashkin faced 67 counts of child labor violations for allegedly allowing underage workers form Guatemala and Mexico to work at the kosher meat plant.

The state charges came after an immigration raid at the plant in May of 2008 found over 300 illegal aliens working there. The Black Hawk County jury acquitted him of all the child labor violations, but that is not the end of his legal problems. Rubashkin was convicted in federal court on 86 bank fraud charges in connection with loans the company received. He is scheduled to be sentenced on those federal charges on June 22.

Iowa’s Attorney General released a statement on the verdict saying:

“We alleged that Sholom Rubashkin was on notice repeatedly and that he knew — from his own management staff, from child labor investigators, and from his own eyes — that there were scores of children working on the floor of the slaughterhouse, and we alleged Rubashkin ignored his obligation to do something about it. But the jury found reasonable doubt. We respect the process, and the jury has the final say. We commend the jury for their five weeks of attention during the trial, and for their 12 hours of deliberation.”