AC Thief Gets 6.5 Years for Environmental Damage

MACON, GA – A Monroe, Georgia man is headed to federal prison for a brazen scheme that saw him ripping apart air conditioning units for scrap metal, all while knowingly poisoning the atmosphere. Alexander Morrissette, 27, was sentenced today by Chief Judge C. Ashley Royal of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia to 78 months – six and a half years – behind bars.

Morrissette pleaded guilty to two counts of knowingly releasing ozone-depleting substances into the environment. The crime wasn’t just about theft; it was about deliberate environmental damage. According to prosecutors, Morrissette and an accomplice, Randall Scott Wimpey, 31, of Snellville, systematically destroyed industrial-sized air conditioning units to get at the copper and aluminum inside, selling the parts for quick cash.

“These defendants destroyed several industrial-sized air conditioning units to steal copper and aluminum parts to sell for scrap metal,” stated United States Attorney Michael J. Moore. “Their crimes not only caused property damage to a business and a church, it resulted in harm to the environment by releasing ozone-depleting refrigerant into the atmosphere, harming all of us.” The damage isn’t theoretical; the court ordered Morrissette to pay $178,846.81 in restitution to cover the cost of repairing the illegally harvested units.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took a particularly grim view of the case. Maureen O’Mara, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Georgia, emphasized the broader implications. “All life on earth depends on a healthy ozone layer in the stratosphere. If that layer is depleted, the sun’s ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer, cataracts and suppression of the immune system,” she warned. “Through the illegal selling of air conditioner parts, the defendants violated the Clean Air Act, whose primary purpose is to protect human health.”

Wimpey, Morrissette’s co-defendant, already received a 15-month federal prison sentence on February 20, 2013, in Athens, Georgia. Unlike many federal cases, there is no parole. Morrissette’s sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. The case was a joint effort, investigated by Special Agents of the EPA and the Monroe Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danial E. Bennett.

This case serves as a stark reminder that environmental crimes aren’t victimless. They carry real consequences, both for the perpetrators and for the planet. Those with information regarding similar illegal activity are encouraged to contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (478) 621-2601. Sue McKinney, Public Affairs Specialist, is the designated point of contact for inquiries.