Albert S. Goodner, Jr., Environmental Crime, AR 1991

Ink, Arkansas – A protracted legal battle concluded in 1991 with the conviction of Albert S. “Junior” Goodner, Jr., and his company, Goodner Brothers Aircraft, Inc., for multiple environmental crimes stemming from their aircraft refinishing operations in Polk County. The case, initially brought forth with a 14-count indictment in October 1990, exposed a pattern of illegal hazardous waste handling and deliberate pollution of Dallas Creek.

The Goodner companies, specializing in aircraft paint stripping, repainting, and refurbishment, were accused of systematically violating federal environmental regulations. Investigators alleged the companies failed to properly manage toxic chemicals used in the refinishing process, leading to both direct discharges into waterways and improper disposal of hazardous waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) spearheaded the investigation, uncovering evidence of a deliberate disregard for environmental safeguards.

The initial trial in January 1991 ended in a hung jury. While charges against related entities, Aircraft Refinishers, Inc. and Goodner Brothers Farms, Inc., were subsequently dropped by the government, a retrial in April 1991 proved successful. Albert S. Goodner, Jr. was found guilty on three counts of violating the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) – commonly known as Superfund – and one count of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Goodner Brothers Aircraft, Inc. faced conviction on four RCRA counts and one CERCLA count.

The evidence presented at trial detailed the company’s failure to report the release of hazardous substances, as mandated by CERCLA, and its illegal storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste in violation of RCRA. Prosecutors argued the Goodner companies prioritized profit over environmental responsibility, knowingly exposing the public and the local ecosystem to dangerous toxins. Dennis Goodner and Jimmy C. Curry, both supervisors within the Goodner organization, were acquitted of all charges.

In June 1991, Albert S. Goodner, Jr. received a 15-month prison sentence, followed by 12 months of supervised parole. He was also ordered to pay a $7,500 fine and a $200 assessment. Goodner Brothers Aircraft, Inc. was slapped with a hefty $150,000 fine, a $250 special assessment, and a five-year probationary period running concurrently on each of the five felony counts. Goodner Brothers Aircraft appealed the conviction on July 30, 1991, but details of the appeal’s outcome remain unclear.

Table of Contents

Key Facts

Defendant: Albert S. Goodner, Jr. and Goodner Brothers Aircraft, Inc.
Location: Ink, Polk County, Arkansas
Statutes Violated: 33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1)(A), 33 U.S.C. 1346, 18 U.S.C. 371, 42 U.S.C. 9603(b), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A)
Charges: Illegal discharge of pollutants into Dallas Creek, failure to report hazardous substance release, illegal hazardous waste handling and disposal, conspiracy.
Penalties: Junior Goodner – 15 months imprisonment, $7,500 fine. Goodner Brothers Aircraft – $150,000 fine, 5 years probation.
Outcome: Convictions upheld at the second trial despite initial hung jury and dismissals of related charges.

GrimyTimes will continue to follow any developments in the appeal and investigate the long-term environmental impact of the Goodner companies’ actions on the Dallas Creek watershed.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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