Anthony Gilstrap, Hazardous Waste & Gun Crime, Kansas 2024

KANSAS CITY, KS – Anthony Shane Gilstrap is heading to federal prison for over five years after a bizarre and dangerous double-dip into criminal activity. Gilstrap, 40, was sentenced to 63 months – that’s five years and three months – for illegally transporting hazardous waste in Hawaii and then, to add insult to injury, being caught with a stolen handgun in Kansas. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Eric F. Melgren, highlights a blatant disregard for both environmental regulations and public safety.

The mess started in Honolulu back in January 2017. Gilstrap undercut legitimate waste disposal companies, offering a suspiciously cheap deal to remove 35 drums of perchloroethylene – perc – a hazardous solvent used in dry cleaning. He didn’t bother with the proper paperwork, like a RCRA hazardous waste manifest, which is designed to track the stuff from start to finish. Instead, he stashed the drums in a warehouse he controlled, letting them sit for months without a permit. When the feds started asking questions, Gilstrap doubled down on the deception, forging a manifest claiming he’d shipped the waste to Oregon – a lie that quickly unraveled.

This wasn’t a victimless crime. Perc is nasty stuff, and improper handling can have serious health consequences. Thankfully, the owner of the dry-cleaning operation and its Hawaii regional manager have already faced justice for their roles in the illegal storage, and the hazardous waste was eventually disposed of properly. But the environmental damage could have been far worse. Gilstrap’s scheme wasn’t about saving money; it was about cutting corners at the expense of the public and the environment.

The situation took another turn when law enforcement in Kansas pulled Gilstrap over for a traffic violation. A search of his truck revealed a handgun – a gun that, it turned out, was stolen. As if illegally handling toxic waste wasn’t enough, Gilstrap was now facing firearm charges. The cases were combined, and Gilstrap ultimately pleaded guilty to both offenses in April.

“Laws like the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act help protect people and our environment from hazardous waste exposure by requiring safe transportation and storage practices,” stated Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Benjamin Carr, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Hawaii, added, “The illegal storage and transportation of hazardous waste poses very serious public health danger.” It’s a statement of the obvious, but one that underscores the severity of Gilstrap’s actions.

Gilstrap’s prison sentence isn’t the end of the story. He’ll also serve three years of supervised release, during which he’ll be required to participate in mental health, cognitive behavioral, and substance abuse treatment programs. The investigation was a joint effort by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The prosecution was handled by Senior Counsel Krishna Dighe and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Oladotun O. Odeyemi and Gregg Paris Yates.

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