New Jersey man pleads guilty of illegal asbestos dumping scheme
John Deck of New Jersey – sole owner and operator of J.A.D., Inc., a truck broker – has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud charges in a Federal Court case concerning the illegal dumping of asbestos waste in a farm field in Frankfort, New York. Deck arranged for independently owned trucks to transport waste to or between solid waste management facilities. He and his company were involved in dumping approximately 60 million pounds of asbestos-contaminated materials in an open farm field adjacent to the Mohawk River.
As part of the operation, Deck admitted to obtaining a false and fraudulent Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) permit that was drafted by co-conspirators who are still under investigation. He then faxed the fake permit to various trucking companies who hauled the asbestos waste from New York City and New Jersey to the farm field.
The field has been designated as a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It will cost millions of dollars to clean up the illegally dumped asbestos. Along with the vast majority of scientists, the EPA maintains that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure, and the toxic substance can cause serious illnesses like asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects the lining that surrounds the lungs and other organs.
Deck will be sentenced in Federal Court in Utica on January 8, 2010, facing a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine, as well as being ordered to pay restitution related to cleanup costs.
For the full story, go to WKTV.
