Blue Bell reaches plea agreement, former president charged over 2015 listeria outbreak

Blue Bell Creameries LP has reached a plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice over charges related to the 2015 outbreak of listeria at the Brenham-based company's plants. The DOJ announced the plea agreement on May 1, the same day it charged former Blue Bell President Paul Kruse with seven felony counts in a related case, according to a press release from the DOJ. Blue Bell agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of distributing adulterated ice cream products and pay a total…