Tyson Heir Is Found Guilty of Drunken Driving, Avoids Jail

(Bloomberg) — Tyson Foods Inc.’s heir John R. Tyson was found guilty of drunken driving and other charges after his arrest in June, ordered to pay a fine but avoiding additional jail time.
The great-grandson of the meat empire’s founder was sentenced to pay a total of $960 in fines and fees and 32 hours of public service, according to a district court docket. A sentence of 90 days of jail time was suspended. He pleaded not guilty to the charges, the docket said. 
John Tyson was immediately suspended as chief financial officer after being pulled over in June when a police officer observed his sports utility vehicle speeding and striking a curb in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was permanently removed from the role two months later.
The incident, his second arrest related to public intoxication, raised further questions about the future of the 34-year-old executive at the company, where he had been considered a potential successor to Chief Executive Officer Donnie King in a position that has historically been held by family members. 
The meat producer chose Curt Calaway, a long-standing Tyson Foods employee, to replace John as CFO. The company said in August that John Tyson remains with the company but was on “health-related leave.”
Only a few months after being named CFO in 2022, John Tyson gained national attention when a woman found him asleep in her home in northwestern Arkansas, leading to charges of public intoxication and criminal trespass. At the time, the executive pleaded guilty and paid a fine, receiving support from the board of directors. 
The company didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. The prosecutor’s office directed questions to the court, which couldn’t be reached after regular hours for further details on the sentencing.
Tyson Foods has gained 11% this year as the company benefits from a rebound in chicken profits. 
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