Wheeling Pet Food Company Owners Charged With Utility Theft

By Kevin Robinson in News on Mar 25, 2010 2:00PM

Joel and Holly Sher, owners of gourmet pet food maker Evanger, have been arrested and charged with millions of dollars in utility thefts, according to prosecutors. Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Jack Blakey told CBS2 that "At one point they were asked to dig up concrete and divert gas and then also to attach electrical equipment to high tension wires."

Prosecutors say that the couple sent an employee up on a forklift with rubber gloves to disconnect an illegal power hook up shortly before ComEd inspectors arrived. Another time, the employee was sent out with a jackhammer to reroute gas lines. "The brazen nature of these thefts is exceeded only by the dangerous conditions that these individuals were willing to expose their employees to," said Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez told the Tribune.

Evanger makes premium pet foods, including pet foods made from game meats, and kosher pet foods. Their pet food was even featured on Rachel Ray.