Filling wetlands and lying to government agents are both potential criminal offenses. Julius DeSimone of New York found that out the hard way.
DeSimone pleaded guilty today in federal court in New York for conspiring to fill wetlands in violation of the Clean Water Act and to lying to federal agents in an attempt to conceal his crimes. According to the charges, DeSimone and his co-conspirators engaged in a multi-year scheme to illegally dump 8,100 tons of pulverized construction and demolition debris that was processed at New York and New Jersey solid waste management facilities and then transported to a farmer's property for disposal.
The defendants concealed the illegal dumping by fabricating a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) permit and forging the name of a DEC official on the fraudulent permit. DeSimone admitted in the plea agreement that once DEC and the EPA learned of the illegal dumping, he lied to federal agents.
DeSimone faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each felony count, and may be ordered to pay for portions of the cleanup at the site.
