Thursday, September 8, 2022

Gold Coast Officials Indicted for Illegal Dumping in Jackson Sewer System

The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

Two Rankin County men appeared in federal court today on felony charges of illegally discharging industrial waste into the Jackson Sewer System, conspiracy, and making false statements, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division’s Southeast Area Branch. 

A nine-count federal indictment was unsealed in Jackson on September 2, 2022, charging Thomas W. Douglas, Jr., 61, and John S. Welch, Sr., 64, with carrying out a scheme whereby industrial waste from their company, Gulf Coast Commodities, was discharged illegally into the Jackson Sewer System.

The defendants made their initial court appearances today at the Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse in Jackson.  

The case is set for trial on November 7, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Jackson. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on Count 1 of the indictment, three years in prison on each of Counts 2-6 of the indictment, and five years in prison on each of Counts 7-8 as to Douglas and Count 9 as to Welch.

The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the case. 

Attorney Jeremy Korzenik with the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay B. Baldwin are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

Collection of all Gold Coast Posts


Jackson company dumps millions of gallons of industrial waste into sewer system.

MDEQ: Gold Coast Commodities Sickened Neighbors, Dumped Acidic Wastewater

Brandon Sued Gold Coast for dumping acidic wastewater into sewer system

No fines issued

Company's Lagoon produced Hydrogen Sulfide cloud, knocked workers out.

MDEQ: Gold Coast must shut down lagoon.

Gold Coast gets a new lawyer.

Acid cloud victims sue Brandon company

Jackson knew but did not sue.

Gold Coast fights back.

The Gold Coast stench.

Permit Board revokes acid lagoon's permit.

Jackson to sue trio for illegal dumping.

Jackson sues Gold Coast over illegal dumping

Jackson withdraws Gold Coast lawsuit.

Jackson refiles Gold Coast lawsuit.

Gold Coast owner pleads guilty, Gold Coast responds

  

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

What happened to the company that actually was paid to dump the waste? Any trial date set for them?

Anonymous said...

Who’s the judge?

Anonymous said...

The question is….what will happen to Jr. when he has to face the music about the 52 million gallons of raw sewage pumped into the Pearl affecting many towns drinking water in Mississippi and Louisiana and the oyster and shrimp beds that are affected. DON’T EAT NO RAW OYSTERS YALL!!! Or you’ll be consuming Jackson Germs!

Taxpayer said...

And when is the trial scheduled for Mayor Flapsalot for dumping 51 million gallons of shit into the river?

Stuff About ZeroBear PolyBear said...

Looks like a lengthy visit to the Pokey House is in their future. At their age, it might be a life sentence.

Anonymous said...

Can someone explain how you can pay a company to do a job and YOU are held liable for their malfeasance? Am I fuckin missing something?

Anonymous said...

Which is worse? Animal fat or 51 million gallons of raw sewage? Let's ask the folks downstream.

Anonymous said...

Isnt the City of Jackson guilty of the same?

Anonymous said...

Now..:these people are whites….

Not a single peep about how white people keep polluting the jackson sewer system?

Why do you think there is no screaming about white polluters?

I wonder why that is the case…..

Anonymous said...

Interesting timing since the main perp already pled. Y’all are F’d.

Kingfish said...

The owner of the other company pleaded guilty a couple of years ago. Waived indictment.

I've been reporting on this story for several years. Rest of media ignored it, of course. They waited until the justice department spoonfed them.

Kingfish said...

The owner of the other company pleaded guilty a couple of years ago. Waived indictment.

I've been reporting on this story for several years. Rest of media ignored it, of course. They waited until the justice department spoonfed them.

WISEOWL said...

They are not convicted yet. Good people, turned an idea into a thriving business as a kid of a boy. To my way of thinking this is small potatoes as a crime. Suspect the trucking company will say whatever the Feds want for a conviction. Suspect a deal can be worked out.

So, what about the Mayors dumping??

8:46 real racist!

Anonymous said...

I once lived in Brandon for several years and had to drive by the gold coast facility often going back and forth to my home. Often the putrid smell of that place would be overwhelming to the point where you felt the need to pull your clothes off in the garage and put them straight in the washer. There is no way that is healthy for the humans or the environment.

Anonymous said...

Why are they not being charged for dumping illegally dumping in rankin county also? Weren’t they previously caught doing the same thing in pelahatchie?

Anonymous said...

Is Jackson still dumping raw sewage? I don't remember reading anything about them fixing their issues.

Anonymous said...

With there being a Democrat President, the EPA is going to target Gold Coast. They had similar problems under the Obama administration and I know one of the owners got charged with a felony. It’s just a political witch hunt.

Anonymous said...

7:07, I hope you realize the ocean is chock full of fish poop and bird poop. And yes, oysters thrive on it. Yum!

Kingfish said...

That's funny.

It was DEQ that referred the case to EPA for investigation and prosecution as state law is weak on such things. That means a Republican DEQ referred the case after it did what it could. EPA began investigating under Trump. Nice try.

Anonymous said...

Attn 8:59. I had two friends who had leg amputations caused ostensibly from eating raw oysters. One has since died from other complications.

Anonymous said...

Wasn’t Gold Coast in that location BEFORE the neighborhood that built next to the railroad tracks?

Anonymous said...

KF, did the owner of the other company serve time or have to pay a fine?

Anonymous said...

September 9, 2022 at 8:59 AM, I strongly suggest you don't eat anything that was grown using untreated human waste. Maybe you should look into that. What you don't know may kill you.

Kingfish said...

Has not been sentenced yet. He waived indictment and fully cooperated.

His is a rather sad story. His general manager embezzled from his company around 10 years ago. He was prosecuted and went to prison but as is usually the case, he cleaned out the company. It left him and his family in rather dire circumstances. Here comes a company, probably paying top dollar on time every time......

Anonymous said...

I think there are 3 companies involved

1) GoldCoast has the contanimant

2) Partridge transported it from GoldCoast to the spot in Jackson owned by Rebel High Velocity

3) Rebel High Velocity dumped it.

Is that correct?

Anonymous said...

http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/search?q=GOLD+COAST

http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/search?q=Rebel+High+Velocity



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