Baltimore, MD – A former chief engineer aboard the Motor Vessel (M/V) Aquarosa was sentenced to three months in federal prison for falsifying ship records to conceal illegal pollution practices, according to court documents unsealed this week. Andreas Konstantinidis, 2012, pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing a federal investigation, a crime uncovered following a tip from a concerned crewmember.
The case began to unravel in December 2011 when a member of the Aquarosa’s crew contacted the U.S. Coast Guard with information suggesting the ship’s oil water separator (OWS) – a crucial piece of equipment designed to prevent oil from being discharged into the ocean – was being deliberately bypassed. The crewmember alleged the bypassing was directed by Konstantinidis, then the ship’s chief engineer, and carried out by the second engineer. This practice, if true, would constitute a serious violation of maritime environmental regulations.
A subsequent investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Coast Guard focused on the ship’s Oil Record Book (ORB) and daily sounding logs. These logs are legally required to accurately document the operation of the OWS and the disposal of oily waste. Investigators quickly identified significant discrepancies between the two records, raising red flags about potential falsification. The inconsistencies suggested that the ship was illegally dumping oil directly into the sea without proper treatment, a practice strictly prohibited under federal and international law.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division determined that Konstantinidis knowingly altered and falsified entries in the ORB to conceal the illegal discharge of oily waste. The manipulated records were intended to mislead investigators and mask the ship’s non-compliance with environmental regulations. Federal prosecutors argued that Konstantinidis’s actions were a deliberate attempt to circumvent environmental laws and potentially endanger marine life.
Konstantinidis was formally charged on December 9, 2011, with one count of violating Title 18 U.S. Criminal Code Section 1519 – a statute covering the alteration or falsification of records with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation. He ultimately entered a guilty plea, acknowledging his role in the scheme. In addition to the three-month prison sentence, Konstantinidis was sentenced to a 12-month period of supervised release following his incarceration.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Andreas Konstantinidis
- Crime: Falsifying ship records to conceal illegal oil dumping
- State: Maryland
- Year: 2012
- Statute Violated: Title 18 U.S.C. §1519 – Altering/falsifying records to obstruct investigation
- Penalty: 3 months incarceration, 12 months supervised release
- Vessel: Motor Vessel (M/V) Aquarosa
This case highlights the EPA’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting individuals who attempt to circumvent environmental regulations and endanger our oceans. The agency continues to work with the Coast Guard to ensure that maritime vessels adhere to strict pollution control standards and that those who violate these standards are held accountable for their actions.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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