Man charged with Hereford House food contamination to seek plea agreement

OLATHE, Kan. (KCTV) - The man accused of contaminating food at the Leawood Hereford House between March 26 and April 25 waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday- a court proceeding that determines if there is enough evidence to proceed with a criminal trial.

Jace Christian Hanson appeared in court for about 15 minutes. Hanson’s attorney said he would plead not guilty to all 33 charges against him. Hanson will try to reach a plea agreement within the next 60 days.

Hanson is accused of contaminating food during his time as an employee at Hereford House. According to an affidavit, someone reported Hanson to the FBI after he allegedly posted videos online. The tipster said the video showed Hanson spitting in food, stomping on food, and rubbing it in his private places, front and back, while working at the restaurant.

The affidavit shows Hanson went on apps such as Grinder where he said men requested he make specific videos involving food. Hanson then told investigators he contaminated restaurant food more than 20 times in less than three weeks.

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Hanson was arrested and remains in custody at the Johnson County Detention Center on a $500,00 bond. He has been charged with 22 counts of criminal threat in connection with the Hereford House investigation, as well as 10 counts of child exploitation, and a single count of criminal damage to property.

Hereford House closed its location on Town Center Drive on Saturday, Aug. 3.

After the restaurant closed, a Kansas City-area attorney filed 10 lawsuits on behalf of 14 people who say they became ill after eating at the Leawood restaurant earlier this year. The lawsuits were filed in Johnson County on Aug. 8 and 9, according to court records.

Each of the 14 plaintiffs said they ate at Hereford House in Leawood between March 31 and April 24, according to the lawsuits. Each of the plaintiffs also said they experienced some degree of gastrointestinal discomfort after eating the food they ordered. The lawsuits said the plaintiffs’ symptoms lasted between a day and a week after eating at the restaurant.

Hanson is scheduled to appear in court again on December 6 at 10 a.m.

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