A man was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison for contaminating food at a steak restaurant where he worked with his urine, feet, and genitals. Jace Christian Hanson pleaded guilty to 22 counts of criminal threat, one count of criminal damage, and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. The 22-year-old was arrested in April 2024 after tainting food at the Hereford House restaurant in Leawood, Kansas.
Hanson was reported to the FBI after allegedly posting videos online showing him spitting, stomping on food, and rubbing it on his body while on duty at the restaurant. He admitted to contaminating food over 20 times during his brief employment at the restaurant in April the previous year. Initially facing one charge of felony food contamination, Hanson later faced additional charges and eventually pleaded guilty to all 33 charges against him in July.
An FBI investigation revealed videos of Hanson urinating in bins and handling food with his genitals, backside, and feet. Hanson confessed to these acts, including contaminating Au Jus sauce and pickle jars with his urine and pressing his private parts against pieces of salmon. The investigation also unveiled videos depicting child sexual abuse and disturbing messages from Hanson expressing his desire to commit such crimes.
During sentencing, the judge described Hanson as a “future danger” to the community, expressing concerns about his potential release. Detective Jack Bond testified that the child sexual abuse material associated with Hanson was the most brutal and violent he had ever encountered. The restaurant where Hanson worked faced multiple lawsuits and eventually closed in August 2024 due to financial strain following the incident.
More than 130 people reported falling ill after dining at the restaurant, leading to its closure. Assistant District Attorney Xavier Andrews stated that Hanson’s actions single-handedly caused the restaurant’s shutdown. Hanson, who received the maximum sentence of 136 months in prison, apologized to his co-workers, customers, and family, expressing regret for his actions and the harm caused.