A 72-year-old Ohio man has pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act by dumping pollutants and hazardous substances into waterways that killed thousands of fish in the Scioto River.
Mark Shepherd, of Kenton, Ohio, negligently discharged approximately 7,000 gallons of a substance containing ammonia, a pollutant and hazardous substance, into the Scioto River near Kenton on April 17, 2021.
The substances originated from Shepherd’s facilities—Cessna Transport Inc. and A.G. Bradley Inc.—which he owned and operated in the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources determined that the discharge killed 43,094 fish, including black bass, flathead catfish, sunfish, and minnows, valued at $22,508.60. The contaminants flowed approximately 18 miles downstream from where Shepherd illegally dumped it.
“This type of behavior is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “The Scioto River is home to abundant fish and other wildlife, and it is a valuable community resource, flowing through more than 230 miles of Ohio.
“As the guilty plea demonstrates, anyone caught illegally discharging substances into our district’s waterways that harm our environment will face prosecution. Our office is committed to preserving our natural resources for Ohio communities to enjoy for generations to come,” Lutzko added.
Sentencing is slated for Aug. 12, 2024. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Simko. The case was investigated by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office-Environmental Enforcement Unit, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
If you have information or see activity that you believe is a potential or immediate environmental problem, please call the Ohio EPA 24-hour Hotline at 800-282-9378 or the U.S. EPA Emergency Number at 800-424-8802.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|Environmental Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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