Baltimore, MD – A complex scheme involving the illegal storage and transportation of hazardous waste culminated in guilty pleas and sentencing across multiple individuals and corporations in 1988, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) records unsealed this week. The case, originating from a site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, exposed a network of companies and individuals circumventing federal regulations designed to protect public health and the environment.
The investigation centered around a former alcohol manufacturing plant on the Delaware River, previously owned by Publicker Industries, Inc. Publicker sold the site to Overland Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cuyahoga Wrecking Corporation, based in Great Neck, New York. Following the sale, hazardous waste generated at the site was allegedly illegally transported to Ernest Martin’s Junkyard in Oakland, Maryland, an unpermitted facility. Samuel Runfola, the site superintendent and project manager for Cuyahoga, oversaw the operation, while Virgil Cummings, owner and operator of Cummings Development Company, handled the transportation of the waste.
The EPA’s criminal enforcement action began with charges against Publicker Industries in November 1987, alleging illegal storage of hazardous wastes without a permit, a violation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), specifically 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A). Publicker pled guilty and was sentenced to a $50,000 fine. A subsequent indictment in Maryland broadened the scope of the case, implicating Cuyahoga Wrecking, Overland Corporation, Runfola, Cummings, and Martin in a conspiracy to violate RCRA and knowingly transport hazardous waste to an unpermitted facility, violating 18 U.S.C. 371 and 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1).
Throughout February and March of 1988, a wave of guilty pleas swept through the case. Cuyahoga Wrecking and Overland Corporation each received $100,000 fines after admitting to two counts of knowingly transporting hazardous waste to an unpermitted facility. Runfola pleaded guilty to one count of the same offense and received a suspended sentence of 60 months, along with 36 months of probation, 250 hours of community service, and a $5,000 fine. Ernest Martin was sentenced to 36 months probation, 100 hours of community service, a $50 payment to the Crime Victim’s Fund, and a $3,000 fine for failing to obtain the required RCRA permits for waste storage and disposal, violating 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A).
Virgil Cummings, the sole defendant to contest the charges, was ultimately convicted on all counts in March 1988. He received a 48-month probation sentence, with all but six months suspended, and was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine. The case highlights the EPA’s commitment to pursuing criminal penalties against those who knowingly endanger the environment and public health through illegal hazardous waste management practices. Notably, Cuyahoga Wrecking Corporation is currently in bankruptcy, raising questions about the full recovery of the levied fines.
Key Facts
- Defendants: Cuyahoga Wrecking Corporation, Overland Corporation, Samuel Runfola, Virgil Cummings, Ernest Martin, Publicker Industries, Inc.
- Crime: Illegal storage and transportation of hazardous waste.
- Location: Philadelphia, PA; Oakland, MD
- Statutes Violated: 18 U.S.C. 371, 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A) – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Penalties: Fines ranging from $3,000 to $100,000 per corporation, probation, community service, and suspended prison sentences.
- Current Status: Cuyahoga Wrecking Corporation is in bankruptcy.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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