Longview, WA – A bench trial concluded Monday with a guilty verdict for Ray Caldwell, 60, and his septic tank pumping company ALL-OUT SEWER AND DRAIN SERVICE, INC., for their repeated violations of the Clean Water Act. U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan announced that Caldwell was found guilty of twenty-five counts of violating the Clean Water Act, six counts of mail fraud, and two counts of making false statements.
Caldwell’s scheme, which spanned over ten years, involved the illegal dumping of over two million gallons of pollutants into the Longview sewer system. ALL-OUT SEWER AND DRAIN SERVICE, INC., was also found guilty of similar charges, including mail fraud and making a false statement.
Records show that Caldwell and his business partner, Randy Dingus, engaged in early morning illegal discharges to avoid detection, storing waste improperly before routinely dumping it down an unauthorized port. When threatened with exposure in 2010, the defendants started submitting falsified documents to underreport waste volumes. The EPA criminal agents caught Caldwell red-handed on December 18, 2012, using hoses to dump waste directly into the sewer port.
Video surveillance footage seized during a search warrant execution at the ALL-OUT facility depicted twenty-four illegal dumping incidents over six weeks in July and August 2012. Caldwell was convicted for each of these events as well as the December 18 incident. He was also charged with using the mail system to defraud public utilities, making false statements in a user survey, and lying to EPA agents.
Caldwell’s business partner, Randy Dingus, had pleaded guilty before the trial. Sentencing for Caldwell is scheduled for March 10, 2014, where he faces up to five years in prison and fines ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 per violation.
RELATED: Longview Septic Tank Owner Sentenced for Illegal Dumping
Related Federal Cases
- FDIC Greenlights GENIUS Act for Payment Stablecoin Issuance · Washington
- FDIC Lists Banks Under Scrutiny for CRA Compliance Violations · Washington
- James Leads Coalition Against Extremist SAVE America Act · New Mexico
- James’ FAIR Act Targets Unfair Business Practices in NY · Washington
- Chinese Smuggler Gets Two Years for Arms Act Violation · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News