It’s not every day that a Tyson Foods heir finds himself in hot water with the law. But that’s exactly what happened when John R. Tyson, 32, the great-grandson of the meat company’s founder, was arrested in November 2022 after he drunkenly passed out half-naked in a stranger’s bed.
The bizarre incident began when a college-aged woman found Tyson asleep in her bed at 2 am and called the police. In body-worn camera footage filmed by the police, Tyson is seen rolling over and waving his hand before pulling the sheets up to his chin and attempting to go back to sleep.
“Mr. Tyson! John! Fayetteville Police Department, you’re not in your house,” an officer can be heard shouting at the sleeping executive.
“I need you to wake up and talk to me before I drag you out of here butt naked,” the officer said.
But the officers weren’t having it and issued a final warning, saying, “You have two options, either one, you sit up and put your clothes on, or two, you go to jail just like you are right now.”
When Tyson failed to comply, the officers pulled the sheets back, revealing the executive in his boxer underwear, and moved to cuff him. He was taken to Washington County jail and charged with public intoxication and criminal trespassing.
Tyson had only been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the meat giant two months prior to the incident. Though he pleaded not guilty at first, in December he accepted the plea deal and apologized for his actions.
Tyson agreed to pay $440 on charges of intoxication and criminal trespass, the Fayetteville, Arkansas prosecutor’s office told The Wall Street Journal.
“I’m embarrassed and I want to let you know that I take full responsibility for my actions,” he said on an earnings call. “I am committed to making sure that this never happens again.”
Tyson’s father, John H. Tyson, served as the meatpacking firm’s CEO from 2000 until 2006 and has been chairman since 1998.
It is unclear how exactly his son ended up in the woman’s home but she said that she may have left the door open accidentally.
