A former president of a Port Arthur chemical company has pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to the death of an employee who was exposed to a poisonous gas.
Matthew Lawrence Bowman, 41, of Houston, pleaded guilty to violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) and making a false statement in federal court in Beaumont, Texas.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bowman was the president and owner of Port Arthur Chemical and Environmental Services (PACES) and CES Environmental Services (CES). The companies operated in Port Arthur and Houston, respectively.
The investigation revealed that Bowman and his company had a history of ignoring safety protocols and putting employees at risk. In 2008, a truck driver named Joey Sutter died after being exposed to hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas, while working for PACES.
Bowman admitted to directing employees to falsify transportation documents to conceal that the wastewater was coming from PACES after a disposal facility put a moratorium on all shipments from PACES.
The guilty plea was entered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.
“In this day and age, it seems inconceivable that workers would be exposed to the level of danger that was routine at PACES,” said U.S. Attorney John M. Bales. “Mr. Bowman’s actions as the leader of the company were more than just cavalier, they were criminal and he is being held to account.”
Bowman faces up to 6 years in prison and a $500,000 fine for violating the OSH Act and up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for making a false statement.
Related Federal Cases
- Juan Carlos Mejia, Conspiracy to Transport Aliens for Profit, Texas 2023 · Kansas
- Enrique Acevedo Barocio, Drunk Driving Fatalities, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Carlos Ramirez, Conspiracy to Traffic Controlled Substances, Texas 2025 · Colorado
- Eduardo Ravelo, Racketeering Conspiracy, Texas 2013 · North Carolina
- Pam Bondi, Money Laundering, Texas, 2023 · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
