Michelle Henderson, Intentional Contamination, Montana 2019

Billings, MT – A former city chemist has avoided prison time but will pay over $38,000 in restitution after admitting to intentionally contaminating the samples of a coworker in 2015. Michelle Henderson, 38, received a three-year deferred sentence from District Court Judge Michael Moses on August 8, 2019, following a joint recommendation from prosecutors and defense attorneys. The case, while not resulting in public health consequences, exposed a disturbing breach of trust within the Billings water testing facility and prompted a costly investigation.

The sabotage centered around Katie Hendrickson, a fellow chemist in the three-person division. For approximately three months, Henderson systematically contaminated Hendrickson’s water samples with an unidentified substance from the lab. This led to repeated failures in routine safety tests, throwing the department into disarray as they desperately sought the cause. The contamination didn’t affect the city’s drinking water supply, but the false positives triggered a full-scale review of equipment and procedures, costing the city significant resources.

Hendrickson described a frustrating and demoralizing experience, detailing how the contamination worsened despite her diligent efforts to identify and correct the issue. She repeatedly checked her equipment, re-ran tests, and sought guidance from her supervisor, even contacting the manufacturer for assistance. Experts were flown in to examine the testing machinery, all to no avail. The ordeal left Hendrickson fearing for her job and questioning her competence, a sentiment she expressed directly to Henderson prior to discovering the intentional nature of the tampering.

Henderson ultimately confessed to the sabotage, offering a peculiar justification for her actions. She claimed she was motivated by a strong work ethic and frustration with what she perceived as a lack of diligence among her colleagues. She stated her intention was to “bring light to” perceived shortcomings in workplace practices. Judge Moses, while acknowledging the unusual motive, emphasized the severity of the crime, stating Henderson was “6 inches away from contaminating the water system of the community.”

Legal Ramifications & Restitution

Henderson violated state statutes related to tampering with evidence and potentially, workplace misconduct, though specific citations weren’t publicly released. The deferred sentence means that if Henderson successfully completes the three-year probationary period, the charges will be dismissed. However, any violation of the terms of her probation could result in a jail sentence. As part of the sentencing, Henderson was ordered to pay $32,144 to cover the cost of a replacement water testing machine the city believed was faulty, $1,044 for video surveillance equipment installed after the intentional contamination was suspected, and $5,723 for additional testing conducted during the investigation. Henderson resigned from her position following being placed on administrative leave in 2015.

Key Facts

• Defendant: Michelle Henderson
• Crime: Intentional contamination of coworker’s water samples
• Location: Billings, Montana
• Year: 2019 (incident occurred in 2015)
• Sentence: Three-year deferred sentence and $38,911 in restitution
• Impact: No contamination of public water supply, but significant financial cost to the city.
• Motive: Defendant claimed she was attempting to expose perceived workplace issues.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the potential for internal sabotage and the importance of robust security measures, even within seemingly low-risk environments like a municipal water testing facility. The incident prompted a review of internal protocols within the Billings water department, though details of those changes have not been publicly released.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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