TRENTON
– Attorney General Anne Milgram and
Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw
announced that the Environmental Crimes
Bureau obtained two guilty pleas and two
indictments during the past seven weeks,
including a guilty plea today from a Pleasantville
man who forged environmental documentation.
During
2007, the Division of Criminal Justice -
Environmental Crimes Bureau obtained 11
indictments and accusations, which charged
a total of 14 defendants. The bureau also
obtained more than $1.3 million in fines
in restitution.
State
v. Vernon Pinkney. Pinkney, 55, of Pleasantville,
and his corporation, Envirosound LLC, pleaded
guilty today before Superior Court Judge
Mitchel E. Ostrer in Mercer County to a
criminal accusation which charged him with
fourth-degree uttering a forged document.
Pinkney admitted that he operated an underground
storage tank removal service, for which
a certification is required from the state
Department of Environmental Protection.
Pinkney admitted that in May 2006 he knowingly
presented the DEP with a fabricated DEP
certification. Immediately after pleading
guilty, Pinkney was admitted into the state’s
Pre-Trial Intervention program.
According
to Director Paw, the other recent charges
filed by the Environmental Crimes Bureau
include the indictment of a Camden man and
his corporation for illegally dumping debris
into a South Jersey Wildlife area. The following
actions were taken since Dec. 10:
State
v. Joe E. Goodwin. Goodwin, 36, of Mountain
Lakes, pleaded guilty on Dec. 12 to a criminal
accusation charging him with third-degree
abandonment of hazardous waste. At the guilty
plea hearing before Superior Court Judge
Ramona A. Santiago in Essex County, Goodwin,
president of Nationwide Transport and Warehouse,
admitted that in May 2007, he abandoned
drums and containers of hazardous waste
at a warehouse in Port Newark. Goodwin is
scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 22.
State
v. Lee Barnes and Lab Builders, Inc. Barnes,
60, of Camden, and his corporation, Lab
Builders Inc. were indicted on Dec. 10 on
charges of third-degree illegal disposal
of solid waste. The indictment alleges that
in June 2007, Barnes illegally disposed
of debris at the Winslow Wildlife Management
area. The debris allegedly came from a demolition
site in Philadelphia. According to the indictment,
Barnes illegally disposed of such items
as crushed safety glass, asphalt roofing,
concrete, wood, bricks and used automotive
collision repair supplies.
State
v. Fletcher. Fletcher, 47, of Somerville,
was charged in a Dec. 10 state grand jury
indictment with third-degree unlawful release
or abandonment of hazardous waste or a toxic
pollutant and fourth-degree recklessly transporting
solid waste. Fletcher, the general Manager
for Arguello Environmental and Demolition
LLC, allegedly allowed a pile of soil contaminated
with paint sludge and solids to remain at
the former Pantasote Factory site on Jefferson
Street in Passaic. The indictment further
charges that between November 2006 and January
2007, Fletcher illegally dumped 20 to 40
cubic yards of cedar shake and other demolition
debris at the Pantasote site. Fletcher had
been subcontracted to remove the material
from a home site in Rumson.
Supervising
Deputy Attorney General Edward Bonanno and
Deputy Attorney General Betty Rodriguez
presented the cases to the state grand jury.
Rodriguez also obtained the guilty plea
from Goodwin. State Investigators Steve
Ogulin and Stephen Politowski and representatives
from the Department of Environmental Protection
coordinated the investigations. The Hillsboro
Police Department, Passaic County Sheriff’s
Department and Passaic County fire officials
assisted in the Fletcher investigation.
The New York/New Jersey Port Authority assisted
in the investigation into Goodwin. The Department
of Environmental Protection - Division of
Fish and Wildlife assisted in the Barnes
investigation.
The
indictments are merely accusations and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Third-degree crimes carry a maximum
punishment of five years in state prison
and a criminal fine of $15,000. Fourth-degree
crimes carry a maximum punishment of 18
months in state prison and a criminal fine
of $10,000.
Attorney
General Milgram said that the key to a successful
enforcement initiative against illegal dumpers
must include the “eyes and ears”
of neighborhood residents and community
watch groups reporting suspicious activities.
The DEP maintains a 24-Hour Environmental
Hot Line -- 609- 292-7172 -- to receive
reports of environmental crimes. Information
regarding environmental enforcement activities
can be obtained by logging on to the Division
of Criminal Justice web page at www.njdcj.org
or the Department of Environmental Protection
web page at www.state.nj.us/dep.
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