Enforcement
Criminal Press Releases – 2012
This is a list of press releases announcing results of EPA criminal cases adjudicated in U.S. courts. This is a sortable table and can be viewed by date or alphabetically under all other headings.
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| Month/Day | Defendant | State | Violation | Related Media | Case Status | Press Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/21 | Executive Recycling, Inc. | CO | • Mail and wire fraud • Environmental crimes related to the illegal disposal of electronic waste • Smuggling • Obstruction |
Waste | Conviction | D. CO Press Release |
| 12/21 | Copper River Campus | AK | • Negligently endangering others when it released hazardous asbestos into the ambient air | Air | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
D. AK Press Release |
| 12/21 | Ira Eisenstein | NJ | • Illegally performing lead inspections on residences without proper certification | Air | Guilty Plea | D. NJ Press Release |
| 12/14 | Jeffrey David Gunselman | TX | • 51 counts of wire fraud • 24 counts of money laundering • 4 counts of making false statements |
Air | Guilty Plea | N.D. TX Press Release |
| 12/11 | Norberto Guada | FL | • Knowingly importing approximately 15,640 kilograms of illegal hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22) | Air | Sentencing | S.D. FL Press Release |
| 12/05 | John Tuma | LA | • Discharging untreated wastewater directly into the Red River without a permit • Discharging untreated wastewater into the city of Shreveport sewer system in violation of its permit • Obstructing an EPA inspection |
Water | Sentencing | DOJ Press Release |
| 12/04 | Henry Hawkins | NY | • Four charges of being an accessory after the fact to a false statement under the Clean Air Act | Air | Guilty Plea | W.D. NY Press Release |
| 12/03 | Asgard Associates | CA | • A felony environmental crime because of its storage at the site of chemicals and biological agents that posed a threat of imminent and identifiable harm to the public health and safety | Waste | Sentencing | S.D. CA Press Release |
| 12/03 | DPL Enterprises, Inc. Richard Papaleo Michael Stanovich |
NV | • Making and selling a misbranded pesticide • Intentionally making false statements to federal agents from the EPA Criminal Investigations Division |
Pesticide | Guilty Plea | DOJ Press Release |
| 12/03 | Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC | WV | • Three counts of unauthorized discharge into a water of the United States | Water | Sentencing | W.D. WV Press Release |
| 11/29 | Martin S. Kimber | NY | • Two counts of using a toxic chemical, mercury, as a weapon • One Count of tampering with consumer products |
Waste | Guilty Plea | N.D. NY Press Release |
| 11/29 | Professional Mobile Cleaning, Inc., (PMC) | PA | • One count of violating The Refuse Act - failed to prevent discharge of and failure to reclaim wastewater effluent | Water | Sentencing | W.D. PA Press Release |
| 11/26 | Ronald Eugene Kinard Jack Bard Haney |
NC | • Conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by conducting false vehicle emission inspections | Air | Sentencing | W.D. NC Press Release |
| 11/15 | BP Exploration and Production, Inc. (BP) | LA | • Clean Water and Migratory Bird Treaty Acts violations • One Count Obstruction of Congress • Eleven Counts of Felony Manslaughter |
Water | Guilty Plea | DOJ Press Release |
| 11/14 | James L. Christian Smith Chrome Plating, Inc. |
WA | • One felony Clean Water Act offense -- Clean Water Act False Statements • Misdemeanor counts - Clean Water Act offense -- Violation of a Requirement of a Pretreatment Program. • |
Water | Sentencing | E.D. WA Press Release |
| 11/08 | Robert Edward Brown | VT | • Illegally storing waste oil, gasoline, antifreeze, and lead-acid car batteries | Waste | Sentencing | State of Vermont Press Release |
| 11/05 | Matthew Black Eagle | MT | • Illegally storing hazardous waste without a permit | Waste | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
D. MT Press Release |
| 11/05 | Victor Mercado | MI | • Conspiracy | Water | Guilty Plea | E.D. MI Press Release |
| 11/02 | Nimmrich and Prahm Bereederung Nimmrich and Prahm Reedrei |
TX | • Illegal dumping of oil at sea | Water | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
DOJ Press Release |
| 11/02 | Pemco Services, Inc. | TX | • Texas Water Code violations relating to the operation of an oil and gas waste landfarming site | Water | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
Travis County, TX Press Release |
| 10/24 | Linda Knox | NC | • Mail Fraud | Water Title 18 |
Sentencing | W.D. NC Press Release |
| 10/19 | Erick Alexander Chicas Tanveer Anwar |
NC | • Conducting false vehicle emissions inspections | Air | Sentencing | W.D. NC Press Release |
| 10/16 | Dominick Mazza Cross Nicastro Mazza & Sons Inc. |
NY | • Conspiracy • False Statements • Failure to report the release of toxic materials • Obstructing justice |
Waste | Conviction | N.D. NY Press Release |
| 10/15 | William M. Threatt | MO | • Improperly removing and disposing of asbestos-containing materials | Air | Sentencing | W.D. MO Press Release |
| 10/11 | Michael Terry | MO | • Mail Fraud | Air Title 18 |
Sentencing | E.D. MO Press Release (PDF) (1 pg, 41K) |
| 10/10 | Bryan Stowe | WA | • Felony violation - knowingly violating a national pollution discharge elimination permit | Water | Sentencing | W.D. WA Press Release |
| 10/05 | Chesapeake Appalachia, LLC | WV | • Three counts of Unauthorized Discharge into a Water of the United States | Water | Guilty Plea | N.D. WV Press Release (PDF) (2 pp, 87K) |
| 10/04 | John Tetreault | MA | • False representations in federally-required reports | Water Title 18 |
Sentencing | D. MA Press Release |
| 10/03 | Norberto Guada | FL | • One count of knowingly importing approximately 15,640 kilograms of illegal hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22) | Air | Guilty Plea | S.D. FL Press Release |
| 10/01 | David Wood James Mathis Donald Fillers Watkins Street Project LLC |
TN | • Conspiracy • Criminal violations of the Clean Air Act • Obstruction of justice |
Air | Sentencing | E.D. TN Press Release |
| 09/28 | James Barber | WA | • Misdemeanor charge of violating the Clean Water Act | Water | Sentencing | W.D. WA Press Release |
| 09/24 | Francis "Frank" Zuspan | WV | • Dumping a pollutant into waters of the United States without a permit | Water | Guilty Plea | S.D. WV Press Release (PDF) (1 pg, 12K) |
| 09/12 | Cheng Yan Huang | NY | • One count of distributing and selling the unregistered and unauthorized pesticides | Pesticides | Sentencing | S.D. NY Press Release |
| 09/10 | John C. Scheerer | CT | • One count of making and using a false document | Air | Sentencing | D. CT Press Release |
| 09/07 | Scott's Miracle-Gro | OH | • Eleven counts of illegally applying insecticides to its wild bird food products that are toxic to birds, falsifying pesticide registration documents, distributing pesticides with misleading and unapproved labels, and distributing unregistered pesticides | Pesticides | Sentencing | EPA Press Release |
| 08/27 | Arville “Buddy” Thomas | AL | • One felony count of illegally storing and disposing of hazardous waste | Waste | Sentencing | M.D. AL Press Release |
| 08/20 | House of Raeford Farms Inc. | NC | • Ten counts of knowing violations of the Clean Water Act | Water | Conviction | N.D. NC Press Release |
| 08/17 | William Duran Vizzerra Jr. | AK | • Illegally disposing of hazardous waste | Waste | Guilty Plea | DOJ Press Release |
| 08/17 | Thomas K. Tienda | CO | • Illegal asbestos removal | Air | Sentencing | State of Colorado Press Release |
| 08/15 | Prastana Taohim | AL | • Two Count of Obstruction of Justice | Water | Sentencing | S.D. AL Press Release (PDF) (1 pg, 35K) |
| 08/15 | Giusseppe Bottiglieri Shipping Company, S.P.A. Vito La Forgia |
AL | • Discharges of oily wastewater from ship directly into the sea. | Water | Sentencing | DOJ Press Release |
| 08/15 | Cedyco Corporation | LA | • Three counts of violating the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) | Water | Sentencing | DOJ Press Release |
| 08/10 | Nghiem Van Tran Nghi Cong Tran Dahn Cong Tran Ngan Tien Tran Bich Dong Ngo Huy Ngoc Nguyen |
TX | • One count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act • One count of making a Clean Air Act false statement |
Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release N.D.TX (PDF) (2 pp, 41 K) |
| 08/08 | Timothy Smither Denise Smither |
NC | • Conspiracy to commit mail fraud • Conspiracy to commit wire fraud • Violate the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) |
Pesticides | Sentencing | E.D. NC Press Release |
| 08/03 | William Morgan | MI | • Conspired to defraud the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) • Violate the Clean Air Act’s asbestos requirements • Commit bribery |
Air | Sentencing | EPA Press Release |
| 08/02 | Mari Leigh Childs | MS | • One count of submitting false material statements • One count of failing to establish and maintain records, make reports, and sample effluents as required by the Clean Water Act |
Water | Sentencing | N.D. MS Press Release |
| 08/02 | Jason Prejean | LA | • Negligently discharging hazardous waste into a publicly owned treatment works or sewer system | Waste | Guilty Plea | W.D. LA Press Release |
| 07/26 | Duane “Butch” O’Malley | IL | • Illegal removal, handling and disposal of asbestos | Air | Sentencing | EPA Press Release |
| 07/24 | Tracy Young | OR | • Making a false statement | Water | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
Press Release D. OR (PDF) (2 pp, 26K) |
| 07/18 | Asgard Associates, LLC | CA | • Unlawful storage of hazardous waste | Waste | Guilty Plea | Press Release S.D. CA (PDF) (3 pp, 83K) |
| 07/18 | Team Industrial Services, Inc. | TX | • Negligently released hazardous pollutants into the ambient air • Negligently placed others in danger of death or serious bodily injury |
Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release N.D. TX (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 07/13 | Ohio Valley Coal Company (OVCC) David Bartsch Donald Meadows |
OH | • Negligently failed to sample and monitor the flow of pollutants discharged from its holding pond | Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release S.D. OH (PDF) (2 pp, 38K) |
| 07/12 | Steven Avery Billy Avery |
VA | • Illegal discharge | Water Waste |
Sentencing | Press Release E.D. VA (PDF) (1 pg, 24K) |
| 07/12 | Bret Simpson | WA | • Failing to report a discharge of oil • Unlawfully discharging oil into the Columbia River |
Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release W.D. WA (PDF) (2 pg, 26K) |
| 06/26 | Carlos Garcia | FL | • Knowingly receiving, buying, selling and facilitating the transportation, concealment, and sale of the ozone–depleting substance hydrochlorofluorocarbon–22 (HCFC-22). | Air | Sentencing | Press Release S.D. FL (PDF) (2 pp, 20K) |
| 06/25 | Rodney Hailey | MD | • 8 counts of wire fraud • 32 counts of money laundering • 2 counts of violating the Clean Air Act |
Air | Conviction | Press Release D. MD (PDF) (3 pp, 23K) |
| 06/21 | Kent Phillips | LA | • Negligently discharging oil into Devil’s Creek | Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release W.D. LA (PDF) (1 pg, 65K) |
| 06/18 | Boris A. Tomicic | CT | • One count of wire fraud | Fraud - Title 18 | Sentencing | Press Release D. CT (PDF) (2 pp, 21K) |
| 06/15 | Ronald Monsen | AK | • Negligent violation of the Clean Water Act | Water | Sentencing | Press Release D. AK (PDF) (2 pp, 31K) |
| 06/07 | Spectro Alloys Corporation (Spectro) | MN | • Two counts failure to disclose violations of limits placed on its emissions of hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act | Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release D. MN (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 06/06 | Cephus Murrell | MD | • Improper lead paint abatement • Failure to disclose to tenants the presence of documented lead-based paint hazards |
Waste | Sentencing | Press Release D. MD (PDF) (3 pp, 24K) |
| 05/31 | David Dober, Sr. Robert H. Block, Jr. |
OR | • Violations of the Rivers and Harbors Act (RHA) • The Endangered Species Act and • The Clean Water Act (CWA) |
Water | Sentencing | Press Release D. OR (PDF) (2 pp, 26K) |
| 05/30 | Target Ship Management Pte. Ltd. Payongyut Vongvichinakul, Pakpoom Hanprap |
AL | • Failure to properly maintain an oil record book • Making material false statements |
Water | Sentencing {company} Guilty Plea |
Press Release S.D. AL (PDF) (3 pp, 27K) |
| 05/25 | Patrick Dooley | WA | • Illegal disposal of hazardous chemicals • Witness Tampering |
Water | Sentencing | Press Release W.D. WA (PDF) (2 pp, 28K) |
| 05/23 | Cedyco Corporation | LA | • Three misdemeanor counts of negligent discharge of harmful quantities of oil into navigable waters of the United States | Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release E.D. LA (PDF) (3 pp, 29K) |
| 05/21 | Joe L. Parrish Gregory A. Scott |
DC | • One count of solicitation and receipt of a bribe by a public official | Asbestos | Sentencing | Press Release D. DC (PDF) (3 pp, 27K) |
| 05/18 | Prastana Taohim | AL | • One count of obstructing a Coast Guard inspection of a ship • One count of obstruction of justice related to covering up the pollution by creating a false and fictitious garbage log |
Obstruction | Conviction | Press Release S.D. AL (PDF) (1 pg, 20K) |
| 05/17 | Boston Building LLC. | UT | • Violation of NESHAP in handling asbestos during renovation project. | Air | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
Press Release D. UT (PDF) (2 pp, 120K) |
| 05/14 | Cheny Yan Huang | NY | • Distributing and selling unregistered and unauthorized pesticides | Pesticides | Guilty Plea | Press Release S.D. NY (PDF) (2 pp, 27K) |
| 05/04 | John C. Scheerer | CT | • One count of making a false statement | False Statement - Title 18 | Guilty Plea | Press Release D. CT (PDF) (2 pp, 23K) |
| 05/04 | Stewart Roth | IN | • Knowingly violates the CWA by discharging pollutants into a sump | Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release N.D. IN (PDF) (1 pg, 62K) |
| 04/26 | Integrated Products Services Gabriel Henson |
OK | • Negligent violation | Water | Sentencing | Press Release E.D. OK (PDF) (1 pg, 24K) |
| 04/13 | Steven Avery Billy J. Avery Sea Solutions |
VA | • Spill of oil, oily water, and other pollutants into the Elizabeth River | Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release E.D. VA (PDF) (1 pg, 24K) |
| 04/12 | Bryan Stowe Stowe Construction |
WA | • Knowingly violated the Construction General Storm Water Permit | Water | Guilty Plea Sentencing |
Press Release W.D. WA (PDF) (2 pp, 27K) |
| 04/09 | Angel Dario Rodriguez | NC | • Conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 • Making a material false statement, representation, or certification |
Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release E.D. NC (PDF) (2 pp, 92K) |
| 03/29 | Indian Ridge Resort Community - Indian Ridge Resort, Inc. North Shore Investments, LLC |
MO | • Failed to prevent storm water runoff at the construction site from discharging silt into Table Rock Lake | Water | Sentencing | Press Release W.D. MO (PDF) (1 pg, 20K) |
| 03/27 | Ilios Shipping Company S.A. | LA | • Illegal discharges of oil waste by falsifying the vessel's oil record book • Obstruction of Justice |
Water | Sentencing | Press Release E.D. LA (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 03/26 | William Morgan | MI | • Conspiring to accept a $10,000 bribe • Defraud the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) • Make a false statement in violation of the federal Clean Air Act. |
Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release E.D. MI (PDF) (2 pp, 22K) |
| 03/23 | Belvan Corporation | TX | • One felony count of failure to notify or report | Air | Sentencing | Press Release N.D. TX (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 03/22 | John Tuma Cody Tuma |
LA | • Illegal discharge of untreated wastewater directly into the Red River without a permit • Illegal discharge of untreated wastewater into the city of Shreveport sewer system in violation of its permit • Obstructing an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation • Conspiracy |
Water | Conviction | Press Release W.D. LA (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 03/21 | North American Green, Inc. | IN | • 150 counts of using a registered pesticide in violation of federal law | Pesticides | Guilty Plea | Press Release S.D. IN (PDF) (2 pp, 59K) |
| 03/13 | Joe L. Parrish Gregory A. Scott |
DC | • One count of solicitation and receipt of a bribe by a public official | Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release D. DC (PDF) (3 pp, 30K) |
| 03/02 | Marc Vogel | CA | • Unlawful transportation of hazardous waste • Unlawful disposal of hazardous waste • Transportation of hazardous waste without a manifest |
Waste | Conviction | Press Release S.D. CA (PDF) (2 pp, 34K) |
| 02/17 | Julius DeSimone | NY | • Conspiracy • Making false statements |
Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release N.D. NY (PDF) (1 pg, 21K) |
| 02/17 | Brian Waite Daniel Clements |
MI | • Conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act • Knowingly violating the federal asbestos laws |
Air | Sentencing | Press Release E.D. MI (PDF) (2 pp, 25K) |
| 02/16 | Horizon Lines | CA | • Two counts of making false statements based on their knowing failure to maintain an accurate Oil Record Book | Water | Sentencing | Press Release N.D. CA (PDF) (2 pg, 23K) |
| 02/15 | Kenneth Horan | NY | • Illegally removed materials containing friable asbestos | Air | Sentencing | Press Release W.D. NY (PDF) (2 pp, 41K) |
| 02/13 | Freedman Farms, Inc. William Freedman |
NC | • Illegal discharge of hog waste into a stream that leads to the Waccamaw River | Water | Sentencing | Press Release E.D. NC (PDF) (2pp, 24K) |
| 02/08 | Oakmont Environmental, Inc. | LA | • Illegal discharge of oily wastewater | Water | Sentencing | Press Release E.D. LA (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 02/06 | Clifford Randall Tracy | OR | • Unlawfully conducting mining operations | Water | Sentencing | Press Release D. OR (PDF) (1 pg, 27K) |
| 02/06 | Donald Clark | TN | • 12 counts of making false documents | Water | Sentencing | Press Release E.D. TN (PDF) (1 pg, 20K) |
| 02/01 | William Threatt Anthony Crompton |
MO | • Improperly removing and disposing of asbestos-containing materials | Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release W.D. MO (PDF) (1 pg, 16K) |
| 01/30 | David Wood Donald Fillers James Mathis Watkins Street Project LLC |
TN | • Conspiracy • Clean Air Act violations • Obstruction-related offenses |
Air | Conviction | Press Release E.D. TN (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 01/27 | Patrick Dooley | WA | • Three counts of Clean Water Act violations • One count of witness tampering |
Water | Conviction | Press Release W.D. WA (PDF) (2 pp, 24K) |
| 01/25 | Efploia Shipping Aquarosa Shipping |
MD | Four felony counts: • Obstruction of justice • Making material false statements • Knowingly failing to maintain an accurate oil record book • Knowingly failing to maintain an accurate garbage record book |
Water | Sentence | Press Release D. MD (PDF) (3 pp, 29K) |
| 01/23 | Hugh Barker | KS | • Failing to file notification of demolition | Air | Guilty Plea | Press Release D. KS (PDF) (1 pg, 19K) |
| 01/23 | Daniel Parker | FL | • Dumping pollutants into the City of Ft. Lauderdale Sanitary Sewer | Water | Sentence | Press Release S.D. FL (PDF) (2 pp, 19K) |
| 01/11 | Leonard Pugh | NY | • Violation of the Clean Air Act | Air | Sentence | Press Release N.D. NY (PDF) (2 pp, 103K) |
| 01/10 | Jon Goodrich | VT | • Unlawfully stored hazardous waste at its Bennington facility without a permit | Waste | Guilty Plea | Press Release D. VT (PDF) (2 pp, 28K) |
| 01/10 | Keoje Marine Co. Ltd. Bong Seob Bag First Assistant Engineer Dwintoro |
HI | Three felonies: • Violating the Clean Water Act for the dumping of oily bilge waste into waters off of Hawaii • Violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from ships for covering up the dumping of the oily waste by falsifying the vessel's oil record book, • Obstruction of Justice |
Water | Guilty Plea | Press Release D. HI (PDF) (2 pp, 25K) |
| 01/09 | John R. Wiehl Franklin Non-Ferrous Foundry, Inc. | NH | • Unlawfully storing hazardous waste | Waste | Guilty Plea | Press Release EPA |
| 01/04 | City of Pineville | LA | • Illegal discharge | Water | Sentencing | Press Release LDEQ (PDF) (1 pg, 87K) |