BECKLEY, WV – Former business owner Christopher Shawn Mills was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on September 22, 2010, for his role in the illegal storage of hazardous waste at a defunct chrome plating shop in Beckley, West Virginia. Mills, 36, pleaded guilty in June 2010 to violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), joining his business partner, Rodney T. Hoffman, in facing federal charges related to the environmental crime.
According to court documents, Mills and Hoffman operated Mills Plating from 2004 through 2006. Following the cessation of operations, the pair knowingly stored waste materials generated from the chrome plating process – including sulfuric and chromic acid – on site without the required permits. The hazardous waste was left in open containers and vats from October 2006 until February 2007, when the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection discovered the improperly stored materials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) subsequently conducted a costly cleanup of the site.
The investigation revealed a pattern of environmental disregard. Hoffman, who received a 30-month prison sentence in August 2010, was also ordered to pay $133,819.12 in restitution to the EPA to cover the cleanup costs. Both men were held jointly and severally liable for the full restitution amount as a condition of Mills’ supervised release. Disturbingly, court records indicate Hoffman has a prior conviction for violating the Clean Water Act, stemming from a 1999 incident where he illegally discharged heavy metal-laden rinse water into a municipal wastewater system in Mabscott, West Virginia.
Legal Ramifications
Mills pleaded guilty to violating 42 U.S.C. 6928(e) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The statute prohibits the knowing violation of RCRA requirements related to the storage, treatment, transportation, or disposal of hazardous waste. A violation carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $50,000 fine *per day* of violation. In addition to the prison sentence, Mills received three years of supervised release. Hoffman’s longer sentence reflects both the severity of the offense and his prior environmental crime.
Investigation and Prosecution
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division led the investigation, with significant assistance from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection. Federal prosecutors emphasized the importance of holding accountable those who prioritize profit over environmental safety. “Hazardous wastes must be properly stored to ensure that the public and the environment are protected,” stated David M. Dillon, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. U.S. Attorney R. Booth Goodwin II added, “We will prosecute those who break the law by taking short cuts which endanger our environment and our community.”
Key Facts
- Defendant: Christopher Shawn Mills & Rodney T. Hoffman
- Location: Beckley, West Virginia
- Crime: Illegal storage of hazardous waste (RCRA violation)
- Year: 2010
- Penalties: Mills – 18 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, $133,819.12 restitution. Hoffman – 30 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, $133,819.12 restitution.
- Prior Offense: Hoffman previously convicted of violating the Clean Water Act in 1999.
- Cleanup Costs: EPA spent over $133,000 cleaning up the hazardous waste site.
While Hoffman initially filed an appeal of his sentence, the appeal was later dismissed. The case serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences associated with improper hazardous waste management and the EPA’s commitment to environmental enforcement.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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