Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Tampering With Clean Water Monitoring Equipment

A Massachusetts plant manager pled guilty to and has been sentenced on federal charges of tampering with the monitoring equipment used to sample and measure sewerage discharges from his employer's fruit processing plant.

United States Attorney Donald K. Stern and Michael E. Hubbard, special agent in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region I, Criminal Investigation Division, announced today that Joseph C. Gangi, 46, of North Andover, Massachusetts, has pled guilty to violating the federal Clean Water Act by tampering with equipment used for wastewater monitoring.

At a hearing before the U.S. District Judge Robert E. Keeton, a federal prosecutor outlined evidence that Gangi was the general manager and vice president of operations of Fruit Salad, Inc. Prior to August 1996, Fruit Salad operated a fresh fruit processing in Lawrence, Mass. Under the terms of its wastewater discharge permit from the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District, Fruit Salad was required to provide periodic samples of its wastewater discharge, which were used, among other purposes, to calculate sewer fees and surcharges for the company.

In order to falsify those calculations, Gangi tampered with the monitoring equipment used for sampling, causing fresh water to be collected along with the wastewater.

Following entry of Gangi's guilty plea, Judge Keeton imposed sentence, in accordance with the recommendation of the parties, as set forth in a plea agreement. Gangi will serve a one year term of probation, and must pay a $5,000 criminal fine, as well as $30,000 in restitution to the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District.

SOURCE: PR Newswire