NATIONAL CITY, CA – A National City pawn shop, We Lend More, Inc., and its owner, Marc Vogel, were convicted in 2012 of illegally dumping hazardous waste, a scheme that authorities say endangered public safety and violated federal environmental regulations. The case, which came to light after a concerning discovery at the Miramar Landfill, revealed a blatant disregard for proper hazardous waste disposal procedures.
According to trial testimony, Vogel knowingly arranged for the disposal of potassium cyanide and concentrated nitric acid – both highly dangerous substances – as ordinary trash. On March 12, 2011, Vogel contacted a local trash hauler, requesting a truck to remove “junk” from We Lend More. Crucially, he failed to disclose the presence of the hazardous chemicals. Raul Gonzalez-Lopez, the driver of the contracted truck, accepted $100 to haul the materials, which included two seven-pound containers of potassium cyanide and one gallon of nitric acid. No hazardous waste manifests, legally required for such materials, were prepared or submitted.
The following day, Gonzalez-Lopez dumped the hazardous waste alongside regular trash at the Miramar Landfill, a facility not permitted to handle such dangerous materials. Fortunately, landfill workers quickly identified the substances and initiated emergency protocols, contracting a specialized hazardous waste disposal company to safely remove and neutralize the threat. Had the potassium cyanide and nitric acid mixed during disposal, authorities warned, the resulting chemical reaction would have produced deadly hydrogen cyanide gas, potentially impacting anyone in the immediate area.
Legal Ramifications
The investigation, led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice, resulted in charges against both We Lend More, Inc. and Vogel. They were found guilty of violating several sections of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), specifically 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1) for knowingly transporting hazardous waste, 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5) for transporting without a manifest, and 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A) for unlawfully disposing of hazardous waste without a permit. Evidence revealed that We Lend More had previously obtained an EPA “generator” number for chemical disposal, demonstrating prior knowledge of proper procedures, yet deliberately circumvented them in this instance.
Sentencing and Aftermath
On June 25, 2012, We Lend More, Inc. was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay a $100,000 federal fine. Marc Vogel received the same length of probation and a $25,000 fine. As of the reporting date, Raul Gonzalez-Lopez remains a fugitive, facing identical charges. This case underscores the severe consequences of improper hazardous waste disposal and highlights the importance of adhering to environmental regulations to protect public health and safety.
Key Facts
- Defendant: We Lend More, Inc. and Marc Vogel
- Crime: Illegal Hazardous Waste Dumping
- Location: National City, California
- Hazardous Materials: Potassium Cyanide and Concentrated Nitric Acid
- RCRA Violations: 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(1), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(5), 42 U.S.C. 6928(d)(2)(A)
- Penalties: We Lend More – 5 years probation, $100K fine. Vogel – 5 years probation, $25K fine.
- Co-Defendant Status: Raul Gonzalez-Lopez is currently a fugitive.
GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database
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