PENSACOLA, FLORIDA — In a stunning turn of events during the COVID-19 pandemic, ServisMed, LLC has been sentenced for conspiracy to violate federal environmental laws. The Pensacola-based distribution company pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $40,000 in fines, dissolve as a corporation, and face restitution totaling $13,330.
John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea and sentence, calling ServisMed’s actions during the pandemic a despicable exploitation of people’s fears. “This company broke the law by using the COVID-19 crisis to sell an unregistered chemical agent as a coronavirus fighter,” said Heekin.
Court documents show that ServisMed distributed the pesticide without proper registration to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), even attempting to export it to Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The scheme was valued at over $250,000 in exports, which were intercepted by law enforcement.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Martel of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division emphasized the seriousness of the offense: “The defendant sold unregistered pesticides during a global pandemic, profiting from fear and placing public health at risk.”
The investigation was a joint effort between the EPA-CID, Department of Commerce-Bureau of Industry and Security, and FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Justin M. Keen handled the prosecution.
For more information on this case, visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida or the Justice.gov website for the Northern District of Florida’s office.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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