Paul Ricco, Falsifying EPA Reports, Massachusetts 2015

Former Massachusetts Agriculture Inspector Pleads Guilty to Falsifying EPA Reports

BOSTON, MA – Former inspector Paul Ricco pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Springfield yesterday to making false statements on inspection reports he submitted to federal regulators.

Ricco, 54, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of making false statements after being charged in September 2014. U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for February 11, 2015.

According to the investigation, from March 2010 through May 2012, Ricco was in charge of the Producer Establishment Inspection program at the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture. During that time period, Ricco submitted 15 false reports of purported inspections that he never performed.

The false reports were submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conceal the fact that Ricco was not performing environmental inspections, which were necessary to ensure that pesticide manufacturers across the state were producing and packaging pesticides safely.

Ricco faces a statutory maximum sentence of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and John K. Gauthier, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office, made the announcement.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos A. López of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant: Paul Ricco, Crime: 15 counts of making false statements, City: Springfield, State: Massachusetts, Date: September 2014 (charged), February 11, 2015 (sentencing), Sentence: Up to 5 years in prison, $250,000 fine.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/former-inspector-massachusetts-department-agriculture-pleads-guilty-falsfying-epa-reports