TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, OH – A former Ohio truck driver was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for illegally dumping industrial wastewater into waterways across Tuscarawas County and beyond, causing significant ecological damage. Adam Boylen, 34, received a 42-month sentence and was ordered to pay $85,338 in restitution following a guilty plea to four counts of violating the Clean Water Act.
Between April 18 and May 4, 2016, Boylen, employed by an Ohio-based trucking company, was tasked with hauling wastewater from corporate facilities to a disposal site in Pennsylvania. Instead of completing these deliveries, court documents reveal Boylen diverted the tanker truck to multiple remote locations in Tuscarawas County and central-eastern Ohio. He then illegally discharged the highly-contaminating wastewater directly into waters of the United States.
Ecological Impact
The dumped wastewater contained potent surfactants, chemicals known to be lethal to aquatic life and vegetation. The immediate impact was visually striking, with large plumes of white foam visibly flowing downstream in tributaries and streams. In one instance, the foam traveled an astonishing four miles from the discharge point. But the aesthetic impact was only the beginning. Investigators documented widespread vegetation death at each dumping location.
The environmental damage extended to a devastating loss of aquatic life. Authorities confirmed the deaths of approximately 709 fish in a single tributary. A broader accounting revealed the deaths of an estimated 3,231 minnows, crayfish, frogs, and tadpoles collectively across the affected waterways, including two tributaries of the Tuscarawas River, a wetland bordering the river, and the Beach City Reservoir. The incident triggered a multi-agency investigation that ultimately led to Boylen’s conviction.
Legal Ramifications
Boylen was charged with violating 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) of the Clean Water Act, which prohibits the discharge of pollutants from any point source without a permit. The illegal dumping constituted an unpermitted discharge of a hazardous substance, triggering both federal criminal charges and substantial financial penalties. The 42-month prison sentence reflects the severity of the environmental crime and the deliberate nature of Boylen’s actions.
Multi-Agency Investigation
The case was a collaborative effort, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad J. Beeson. Investigators from the United States and Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies, the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Stark County Sheriff’s Offices, the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Offices, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction all contributed to the investigation and successful prosecution of Boylen.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Adam D. Boylen
- Crime: Illegal Dumping of Industrial Wastewater
- Location: Tuscarawas County, Ohio and surrounding areas
- Dates of Offense: April 18 – May 4, 2016
- Statute Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(2)(A) – Clean Water Act
- Sentence: 42 months imprisonment, $85,338 restitution
- Environmental Impact: Death of approximately 4,000 aquatic animals and widespread vegetation damage.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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