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1/22/2025
WT Staff
 Knowledge of an environmental crime? Give us a call at 877-52-WATER (877-529-2837), or email info@watertoday.ca
January 22, 2025 140 pm PST
CWA CrimeBox
Environmental Crimes Historic Conviction: Fiscal Year 2014; Case ID# CR_2536(California)
Sewage-dumping crime family conviction: 6 months in prison plus restitution
One of 72 Clean Water Act Criminal Prosecutions in the State of California (from 1989-2023)
The Clean Water Act criminal convicted in this case was a tank truck driver for an Arizona environmental services company. The Las Vegas resident acted in concert with another driver in the company -- his step-father -- who counseled him to drive out to unoccupied public lands in California's Imperial County, to unload 1500 to 2000 gallons of raw sewage along the roadside in early 2012.
The inconsiderate and illegal dumping was meant to save precious time for the driver, however, the stinky tanker did not get away with this. California Bureau of Land Management Rangers responding to the sewage spill happened upon the empty "honey-wagon" stuck in a roadside washout. The driver and a passenger explained the empty tank had been cleaned out at a nearby truck wash and contained only water.
Flouting the common sense Clean Water Act and California State environmental laws set to prevent public health outbreaks of cholera and dysentery, the driver was charged and prosecuted by US Attorney Laura E. Duffy in December of 2013. The Federal district court of Southern California Justice, Honorable Roger T. Benitez sentenced the principal defendant to time served in custody, around six months, along with the bill for cleaning up the mess.
The crime family leader, another driver in the environmental services company had previously been tried and convicted for the very same offense, dumping sewage on the ground in Imperial County. The sewage-father was sentenced to probation and a fine.
“Dumping sewage in the middle of nowhere is not only disgusting and harmful to the environment but it is a federal crime that is worthy of time in custody,” said U.S. Attorney Duffy.
“Untreated sewage contains bacteria and other pathogens that can cause a wide variety of acute illnesses, which is why sewage disposal is a regulated activity that must be done legally and safely,” said Jay M. Green, Special Agent-in-Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in California. Justice served included time behind bars and the full bill for the clean up.
Prison time: 6 months; Restitution: $21,244.19
See the Justice Dept original press release, here.
CWA CrimeBox briefs are compiled from EPA Criminal Enforcement records.
See last week's CrimeBox here, "Retail giant fined $110 million for Clean Water Act violations"
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