Midamar emails will remain confidential

CEDAR RAPIDS - A federal magistrate Tuesday directed prosecutors and a halal food company's attorneys to work together to determine which company emails are confidential and which prosecutors are allowed to see as part of an ongoing criminal case.

Midamar asked the court for an order that would stop the government from looking at emails and texts between the company and its attorneys regarding October criminal charges against William Aossey, his sons and their companies - Midamar and Islamic Services - alleging mislabeling of halal beef products and falsifying documents.

Midamar was searched last week as part of a gun-smuggling investigation, but no one from the company has been charged in that probe.

U.S. Magistrate Jon Scoles didn't grant a protective order but directed prosecutors to set up a review team of agents and prosecutors not involved in the gun smuggling and Midamar criminal cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Murphy said the office typically has a 'filter,” or review team, go through documents like this, but so far he hadn't looked at anything.

Scoles said he had no reason to question the integrity of the U.S. Attorney's Office. However, he directed it to use Southern District prosecutors to avoid any problems.

He added that if there are documents in dispute as to whether they can be kept private, those can be brought before a judge to decide.

Midamar was one of the locations searched last week after authorities intercepted shipping containers and found a stockpile of firearms and ammunition. There also were items from a clothing drive for Syria and Lebanon organized by William Aossey found in the shipping containers.

Midamar issued a statement Monday stating none of the employees or officials had any knowledge or were involved with the firearms.

The four defendants - Ali Herz, 50; his son, Adam Herz, 22; his brother Bassem Herz, 30, and Bassem's wife, Sarah Zeaiter, 24 - are charged with conspiracy to deliver a package to a carrier without notice that it contained firearms and ammunition. If convicted, each faces up to five years in federal prison.