The Justice Department issued the following statement.
Andrew Walker, 70, of Jackson, Miss., pled guilty today in Federal District Court before Judge Kristi Haskins Johnson to having illegally discharged industrial waste into the Jackson Sewer System, announced Jean E. Williams, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4; and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. Walker was charged in a two count criminal Information filed by the United States Attorney’s Office in September 2020.
Andrew Walker, the owner of Rebel High Velocity Sewer Services of Jackson, Mississippi, (“Rebel”) admitted to having entered into a conspiracy with the generators and transporters of industrial waste illegally to discharge the waste into the Jackson Sewer System in order to avoid the expense of treating the waste to reduce pollutant concentrations, as required by law, and to evade sewer usage fees and the cost of disposing of the waste at legal off-site facilities.
According to the two counts of the Information and statements made in open court, in October, 2016, state and municipal authorities discovered that a local manufacturing company had been discharging large quantities of its industrial waste directly into the sewer serving its facility. Government agencies ordered the company to stop this illegal dumping and to ship the waste off site for legal treatment and disposal. Yet, from November 2016 through October 2017, Mr. Walker and his coconspirators evaded this order, arranging for the illegal disposal of this untreated industrial waste, first by misrepresenting the industrial waste to be domestic waste and dumping it at Jackson’s treatment plant, and then by discharging hundreds of truckloads of industrial waste into a city sewer pipe they excavated at Rebel. By the time this illegal waste disposal was discovered by state officials, the defendant and his coconspirators had discharged over three million gallons of untreated industrial waste into the same Jackson sewer system to which they had already been prohibited from dumping.
“Those who disregard the health and safety of our community to pollute our natural resources and waterways for easy profit will find themselves standing before a court of law to answer for their wrongs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney LaMarca.
“The Clean Water Act is in place to not only protect the environment, but to safeguard our communities and residents from the risks of industrial waste,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin. “Circumventing the law to improperly dispose of waste in order to make a profit is a crime that the FBI and our partners take seriously. Criminal investigations into those who benefit from putting our communities’ health at risk will remain a priority for the FBI.”
Walker appeared for the change of plea hearing today before United States District Judge Kristi H. Johnson in Jackson. She remains released on conditions of bond pending a sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. Walker faces maximum penalties of 5 years in prison for the count of conspiracy, and 3 years in prison for the count of discharging industrial waste. Each count also can merit a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting
United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca commended the work of the
Special Agents of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and
the FBI’s Jackson Division,
as well as the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, who
investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Trial
Attorney Jeremy Korzenik of the Environment and Natural Resources
Division of DOJ, and Assistant United States Attorney
Theodore Cooperstein.
24 comments:
Sphincter Factor at Gold Coast measured at 9.8 and rising. Of course, with Gold Coast taking the measurement, I'd be dubious.
“If one dump sewage into Jackson sewer, and nobody around to bitch, do it make smell?” - Sun Tzu
A person will get more time for an EPA violation in federal court than a mass-murderer in Jacktown courts.
With Greenpeace Biden in office, the guilty party is going to get heavy prison time.
Goll dang 5:56 said a mouthful!!!! Damn murderers and rapists go free, crimes go unsolved, theft is rampant and they go after a man who dumped waste!!! They let you out for shooting someone and this man gets strung up by his toes. I call racism! They are after him because he is a white business man.
There is no doubt that 5:56 is correct about the problems with Hinds County's Judicial system.
But that does not mean that the rest of the judicial system should take notice and operate in the same atmosphere.
We should be thankful that at least SOME CRIMES are punished appropriately - something that happens only because of the federal courts, the federal prosecutors, and the federal judges.
Just because Judge Tommie gives her blessings, and Judge Kidd lets everybody off scott free, doesn't mean those that blatently violate the law, pollute the waters, and screw the system in order to make a few more dollars should be turned free as well. Walker pleading guilty is only the tip of the iceburg here; the violaters will - and should - face serious fines, penalties, and prison time.
And it doesn't matter that the state crimes that are being committed by thugs throughout the county get off with little or no punishment. They should be in jail as well - but because one judicial system is broken doesn't mean that all should be broken as well.
These are federal crimes, not those prosecuted or presided over by Hinds folk. For those of you who cross the Yazoo River bridge west of Yazoo City and look off to the north/west and wonder what kind of people are in that federal facility...this is the type guy who winds up there. This is not white-collar crime. This is redneck crime, just as if he'd shot a bank teller or blown up an armored car.
He'll get 3 to five concurrent but it ain't got jack to do with the Biden crowd.
The below is straight from Gold Coast's website. So clearly Gold Coast had no idea that Rebel High Velocity was dumping illegally into Jackson's sewer system.
Our Guiding Principles
1. We obey the law
2. We conduct our business with integrity
3. We keep accurate and honest records
4. We honor our business obligations
5. We treat people with respect and dignity
6. We protect Gold Coast's information, assets, and interests
7. We are committed to being a responsible global citizen
Here is the story I got behind the scenes. Take it for what it's worth along with the Morton's. Mr. Walker was a fairly good fellow with a nice family. Several years ago, his GM embezzled from the company. Like REALLY embezzled. He was caught and prosecuted. It's true, I found the prosecution records from five or six years ago. Of course, the money was gone. Wife also got really, really sick. He lost alot and at one point, was living in the office. Yeah, it was that bad.
Not too hard to see what happened if true and from what I can tell, it is. He's struggling and here comes a client willing to pay top dollar on time every time. So he succumbed to the temptation. Not making excuses for him, just saying what happened. He's a big boy, after all. Feds came calling and he cooperated from the beginning.
Kingfish, why would the feds come a calling? Very curious!
Lock him up and throw away the keys. I am convinced there is a special place in hell for these mass polluters who willingly destroy our planet for a quick buck.
Kingfish, I have known Andy and Debbie Walker for 45 years. They don’t come any better, especially Debbie. I understand she has real health issues. It will serve, in my opinion, no useful purpose to incarcerate him (and certainly not her). As for the fine, this is unpayable. Looking at what is happening in D.C, this is minuscule.
What is happening to these "co-conspirators" I haven't seen anybody else named.
Kingfish trips all over himself seeing that he can use the word 'succumbed' in a sentence.
@ 10:33...Because it's a federal crime. You reckon?
When you dump poison into public waterways you are murdering people. It's just a lot slower than a 9mm.
Kingfish's "behind the scenes" story make sense. I could see that scenario. I do disagree with @1:02 that punishment would serve "no useful purpose".
1033 - the Feds came calling because the DEQ (MS) called them in. Go back and read the earlier stories about the Gold Coast scam. DEQ has been on their trail for quite some time, beginning with their dumping in the manhole outside their operation.
Let me assure you, once the environmental boys (or girls) get on your scent, they don't stop. The continue to see what you did to correct the problem. Didn't take them long to trace them to Rebel. And after they traced them there, they called in the feds. (Again, back in the earlier stories both here and in other media.)
While they came in for all the right reasons and in the right way, you can bet your last dollar it wasn't because our city 'leadership' called them in. Hell, even after they found out about it, they haven't done jack s**t (no pun intended) about the millions of gallons of untreated contamints dumped in and processed.
Punishment would serve "no useful purpose"?
Must have come straight from Mayor Yak-a=Lot. All they need is a little social compassion, and all will be right with the world.
To say the fine is uncollectable is like saying that they couldn't catch the folks that shut down the interestate. And if they did, there would be no reason to fine them because it would be uncollectable.
They might be good people, but that can be said about plenty of folks who, for whatever reason, get crossed up and break the law. Same with the uneducated drug dealers who can't make an honest dollar - so they sell drugs to pay for their ride.
Sorry that the Walker's got caught up in this - and assume that they are great folks. But I know plenty of people that have hit hard times, and had serious health issues - but they didn't take to dumping millions of gallons of toxic waste into the public sewer system just to pick up the nice cash that went with it.
Its called breaking the law. And when you do that, except in the case of Ed Peters, you have to Pay the Piper.
I, too,have known Andy and Deb for about 25 years. The are some of the finest, nicest folks one could ever hope to meet. The behind the scenes story that KF published is true, but I think there is more to the story. I think the embezzeler turned on Andy in an attempt to get a better deal for himself. I am willing to lay money that Andy thought he had appropriate permits and clearances to dump the stuff the way he did.
9:42. My bet is on you. The little shitass went vocal when Andy had his "drug habit" embezzling ass in a sling. The lil shit went "government" when he was caught, and wanted to cut his best deal, which he did as he has never been prosecuted fully. Deb has Alzheimers. Bad. They have no kids and are totally each other and broke. Andy fucked up. In reading the guilty plea, it sounds awful, but they are not. Desperate = desperate.
Some of the above clowns are actually suggesting that 'fine folks' don't see dollar signs and attempt to screw other people by breaking the law and poisoning the environment.
Bernie Ebbers was 'fine folks' too. So was Chris Epps. So were Bennett Malone and wife. So was Thurston Littl....wait, lemme take that back.
Andy and Deb might be nice people. Nice people have been known to make mistakes.
But "Andy thought he had appropriate permits and clearances to dump the stuff the way he did". Come on, this is just ridiculous. Andy knew what he was doing. And he knew it was wrong.
I’ve known Andy and Deb for a long time. He is a good man - and really funny. Yes, desperate people do desperate things but this was really bad. Damn it Andy. But life is not over. You will get through this and you do have people who will still be there for you.
Sounds like the same crowd (different color) who always says, "My boy a good boy. He'll steal your shit but he ain't gonna hurt nobody". No! Your boy ain't a good boy and good guys go to jail for doing bad shit. And please stop referring to this behavior as 'has made mistakes'. Make no mistake...there WAS no mistake.
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