Montgomery County, MD – Jack Thomas Leigh, owner of Leigh & Sons, LLC, a waste grease removal service, has been sentenced following a multi-year investigation into widespread falsification of waste disposal records. The case, brought to light by inconsistencies reported to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), reveals a deliberate scheme to deceive regulatory authorities and potentially jeopardize wastewater treatment facilities.
The investigation began in July 2019 when the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) alerted the EPA-CID to irregularities in manifests submitted by Leigh & Sons. These documents purportedly detailed the disposal locations of waste grease collected from commercial facilities in Montgomery County, Maryland. Initial scrutiny revealed that while the manifests claimed waste was being transported to a facility in Frederick County, the company hadn’t utilized that facility since 2014. Confronted by EPA agents, the Leighs initially admitted to the falsifications.
However, the deception didn’t end there. Throughout 2020 and 2021, Leigh & Sons continued to submit falsified manifests, now claiming disposal in *other* jurisdictions – claims that were largely unsupported by evidence. Investigators discovered 16 instances where the company falsely reported disposing of waste in Baltimore City during a period when the facility was not accepting any private waste haulers. In total, Jack Thomas Leigh and Jack Loson Leigh submitted over 200 falsified documents, persisting even after being notified of the EPA-CID investigation and the impending criminal action by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
The fraudulent reporting practices aren’t merely administrative errors. Improper disposal of waste grease can have significant consequences for wastewater treatment plants. Unexpected surges in fats, oils, and grease can overwhelm treatment systems, leading to failures, bypasses of untreated sewage, and environmental damage. By misrepresenting disposal locations, Leigh & Sons potentially shifted the burden of managing this waste onto facilities unprepared to handle it.
Sentencing and Penalties
On October 27, 2022, Jack Thomas Leigh was sentenced to two years of incarceration, all suspended except for a single weekend served. He also received five years of supervised probation and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. Jack Loson Leigh received a similar sentence: two years of suspended incarceration, five years of supervised probation, and 24 hours of community service. The sentences reflect the severity of the ongoing fraud and the potential environmental risks associated with the falsified records. The specific State statutes violated were not disclosed in the provided case data, but the offenses fall under environmental reporting and fraud regulations.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Jack Thomas Leigh & Jack Loson Leigh (Leigh & Sons, LLC)
- Location: Montgomery County, Maryland
- Years Active: 2019-2022
- Crime: Falsification of waste disposal manifests
- Number of Falsified Documents: Over 200
- Sentencing: Jack Thomas Leigh – 2 years suspended (minus 1 weekend), 5 years probation, 100 hrs community service. Jack Loson Leigh – 2 years suspended, 5 years probation, 24 hrs community service.
This case underscores the importance of accurate reporting within the waste management industry and the EPA’s commitment to pursuing criminal enforcement actions against those who attempt to circumvent environmental regulations. The GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and provide updates as they become available.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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