A mugshot of John R. Tyson taken at the Washington County jail. The Tyson Foods heir and CFO was arrested on charges of public intoxication and criminal trespassing on Nov. 6, 2022.
John R. Tyson, the CFO of Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges in Fayetteville District Court on Tuesday.
Tyson’s guilty pleas were entered through his attorney, W.H. Taylor, according to a court official. Tyson pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass and public intoxication, and he was ordered to pay $440 — $150 fines for each offense, $100 in court costs and $40 in county fees.
Tyson is the son of the company’s chairman of the board and is the great-grandson of the company founder. He was arrested in the early morning hours of Nov. 6 after being found asleep in a stranger’s bed in a house on Mock Street in downtown Fayetteville.
Fayetteville police arrested Tyson after receiving a call at 1:48 a.m. from a woman who lived on Mock Street in downtown Fayetteville. She told police an unknown man was asleep in her bed; she told police she believes the man, later identified as Tyson, entered through an unlocked door.
Police officers said they found Tyson asleep, smelling of alcohol and “sluggish and uncoordinated.” He was arrested and later released on $415 bail.
John R. Tyson apologized for his actions during a conference call with industry analysts Nov. 14, saying he was “embarrassed” and took “full responsibility.” He said the incident was contrary to the company’s and his values.
Tyson joined the company as its Chief Sustainability Officer in 2019, joining his father, John H. Tyson, a former CEO and now chairman. John R. Tyson was promoted to CFO in September 2022.
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