Kenneth Gravitt Indicted for Hazardous Waste Dumping

Lexington, Ky. — A federal grand jury has indicted Kenneth Gravitt, the former owner of Global Environmental Services (GES), on one count of conspiracy and seven counts of violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The charges stem from the illegal storage, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste containing high levels of lead, a toxic substance posing serious health risks to communities and the environment.

Gravitt, who operated GES at facilities in Georgetown, Cynthiana, and Winchester, began recycling Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) in 2013—bulky components found in older televisions and computer monitors. While CRT recycling is legal under strict federal guidelines, the indictment alleges Gravitt’s company accepted far more CRTs than it could process, choosing illegal disposal over compliance. The lead inside CRT glass can leach into soil and water, threatening public health if not handled properly.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Gravitt and associates transported thousands of CRTs to a landfill in Georgetown that lacked a permit to accept hazardous waste. They also stored crushed CRT glass—loaded with excessive lead—in open, outdoor piles, exposing the surrounding area to contamination. In one brazen act, the indictment claims, Gravitt oversaw the burial of thousands of CRT units and glass shards in a large hole dug behind the Georgetown facility, a clear violation of federal environmental law.

The charges were announced Thursday by Carlton S. Shier IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Each of the eight counts—seven substantive RCRA violations and one conspiracy charge—carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted on all counts, Gravitt could face up to 40 years behind bars.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, which traced the illegal disposal practices through facility records, shipping manifests, and on-site inspections. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ken Taylor and Erin Roth presented the case to the grand jury, building a timeline of noncompliance and deliberate concealment by Gravitt and his operation.

Sentencing, if conviction occurs, will be determined by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statute. The case underscores the federal government’s increasing scrutiny of environmental crimes that endanger public health and exploit regulatory loopholes for profit.