Burbank, CA – Robert Roach, former owner and officer of All Metals Processing Company (AMP), was sentenced in June 2014 to over a year in prison for illegally storing hazardous waste at a Burbank facility, leaving a toxic cleanup for a private landlord. The case, investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), highlights a pattern of neglect and cost-cutting that ultimately endangered public health and the environment.
AMP, an electroplating business operating at 264 West Spazier Avenue, functioned without a hazardous waste storage permit for nearly two decades, from 1990 to 2007. The operation amassed hundreds of drums containing potentially dangerous substances within a dedicated storage area on the property. The situation came to a head in January 2007 when the Powers Estate, AMP’s landlord, initiated eviction proceedings due to unpaid rent. A stipulated judgment was reached requiring AMP to remove all toxic materials and clean the premises by March 16, 2007.
However, AMP failed to uphold its end of the agreement. Despite receiving permission to hire a hazardous waste transport company, the company allegedly cited cost as the reason for leaving a significant quantity of barrels – some corroded and leaking, others sealed but potentially containing hazardous materials – behind upon eviction on March 20, 2007. For nearly three months, these drums remained unattended, posing a growing threat. An inspection in June 2007 by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and EPA contractors confirmed the presence of leaking containers and revealed hazardous concentrations of chemicals within samples taken from the receptacles.
The EPA was ultimately forced to empty and demolish the building to fully remediate the site, incurring substantial costs. A grand jury indictment in February 2012 charged Robert Roach and Tim Roach with violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), specifically 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(2)(A), which prohibits the storage of hazardous waste without a permit. The indictment focused on the period between June 16, 2007, and June 27, 2007 – the period after the eviction when the hazardous waste remained on the property.
Robert Roach was found guilty on June 2, 2014, and sentenced to a year and a day in prison, followed by nine months of home confinement. His co-defendant, Tim Roach, pleaded guilty and received a sentence of two years probation and was ordered to pay $165,000 in restitution. The case serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences associated with improper hazardous waste management and the importance of adhering to environmental regulations.
Key Facts
- Defendant: Robert Roach
- Company: All Metals Processing Company (AMP)
- Location: Burbank, California
- Years of Violation: 1990-2007 (unpermitted storage), 2007 (post-eviction abandonment)
- Statute Violated: 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d)(2)(A) – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
- Penalties: Robert Roach – 1 year + 1 day imprisonment, 9 months home confinement. Tim Roach – 2 years probation, $165,000 restitution.
- Cleanup Costs: Significant costs incurred by the EPA for site remediation, including demolition of the building.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow environmental crime cases and provide updates as they develop.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
Related Federal Cases
- Paul P. Worthing, No Crime Description, San Francisco CA, 2023 · Texas
- Peiwen Zhou, Hazardous Chemical Smuggling, CA 2024 · California
- Amir Hossein Golshan, White-Collar Crime, California 2023 · California
- Robert Allen Pooley, Wire Fraud, California 2024 · California
- Thao Thi Kim Nguyen, Mortgage Fraud, Orange County CA, 2018 · Connecticut
