Michael P. McClure, Pesticide Distribution and Sale Violation, Nebraska 2011

Omaha, NE – Michael P. McClure, the Virginia-based owner and operator of MACZ Enterprises, Inc., doing business as SAN-ITY, was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to federal pesticide violations. The case, stemming from a 2011 bed bug treatment at the Magnolia Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, revealed a pattern of unlawful pesticide distribution and application across multiple states, including military installations.

According to court documents, McClure was contracted to treat over 130 rooms at the Magnolia Hotel for a bed bug infestation, receiving approximately $5,800 for his services. Alongside a registered pesticide, Gentrol, McClure provided the hotel with an unregistered product deceptively labeled “Beetlejuice.” This product, packaged in repurposed two-liter soda bottles with Coca-Cola and Pepsico caps, lacked the legally required EPA Registration and Establishment Numbers – critical identifiers ensuring a pesticide’s safety and efficacy.

Investigators discovered that “Beetlejuice” was advertised as a broad-spectrum insecticide effective against bed bugs, cockroaches, spiders, and fleas. However, McClure admitted to manufacturing the product himself, utilizing a dangerous mixture of carbon tetrachloride and water. Carbon tetrachloride is a highly toxic chemical, known for its potential to cause severe health problems, and its use in pesticides is strictly regulated or banned in many jurisdictions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brought the case against McClure for violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) – specifically 7 U.S.C. 136j(a)(1)(A), which prohibits the distribution or sale of unregistered pesticides. Further investigation revealed this wasn’t an isolated incident. McClure had previously faced civil enforcement action from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) for similar FIFRA violations. Alarmingly, McClure also admitted to treating hotels and, significantly, four U.S. Navy installations in Georgia, Florida, Maryland, and California, with the unregistered “Beetlejuice” concoction.

On July 12, 2011, McClure pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 months of probation. As part of the sentencing, he was ordered to pay $5,800 in restitution to the Magnolia Hotel, covering the cost of the ineffective and illegally applied treatment. The EPA’s enforcement action highlights the serious risks posed by unlicensed pesticide applicators and the dangers of using unregistered and potentially hazardous chemical mixtures.

Table of Contents

Key Facts

Defendant: Michael P. McClure, owner of MACZ Enterprises, Inc. (SAN-ITY)
Location: Omaha, Nebraska (Magnolia Hotel)
Crime: Distribution and sale of an unregistered pesticide (“Beetlejuice”) and unlawful pesticide application.
Statute Violated: 7 U.S.C. 136j(a)(1)(A) – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
Penalty: 24 months probation and $5,800 restitution to the Magnolia Hotel.
Unregistered Product: “Beetlejuice” contained carbon tetrachloride and water, packaged in repurposed soda bottles.
Scope of Fraud: McClure treated hotels in multiple states and four U.S. Navy installations.

GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. Readers are encouraged to report suspected illegal pesticide activity to the EPA or their state’s regulatory agency.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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