Eric and Ryan Jensen have requested a “change of plea hearing” from the U.S. District Court in Denver, announcing through their attorneys that a disposition has been reached in the case. The two brothers are charged in connection with one of the most deadly outbreaks of foodborne illness in U.S. history. The request means that, instead of going through a jury trial in December, the defendants will enter a plea agreement that they’ve reached with government attorneys. And, if the deal is approved by the court, they will likely plead guilty to one or more of six federal misdemeanor charges in exchange for much lighter prison sentences and fines reduced from what they would face if convicted by a jury. The plea hearing will be held Tuesday, Oct. 22. Attorneys for the owners of the now-defunct Jensen Farms filed the requests on Tuesday for a change in plea hearings and notices that disposition in the case had been reached with the federal court. On Sept. 26, the two men were arrested and charged with federal misdemeanor counts of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce and aiding and abetting. The charges stem from the 2011 Listeria outbreak in 28 states that sent nearly 150 people to hospitals and resulted directly or indirectly in some 33 deaths. The outbreak strain was traced back to the Jensens’ packing facility in Granada, CO. Details of a federal plea bargain typically do not become public until filed with the court. A jury conviction on each misdemeanor count carries the potential of one year in jail and a fine of up to $250,000. The plea agreement will likely guarantee the brothers will receive much-reduced penalties from those theoretical maximums.