Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Environmental Law Blogs -> Environmental Crimes Blog

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Environmental Law

: Environmental Crimes Blog

No Silver Lining for Former Fujicolor Employee

By Walter James

ADVERTISEMENTS

The Dallas Morning News reported on June 2, 2008, that Gerald Lakota, a former environmental compliance employee at the Fujicolor facility in Terrell, Texas, plead guilty to federal charges of falsifying water sample reports in an effort to hide the amount of silver which the facility was discharging into the local watershed. Lakota could potentially receive up to five years in prison along with five years of supervised release and a $250,000.00 fine.

The falsified reports were discovered during an internal investigation by the company. Fujicolor began the internal investigation as a result of a $100,000.00 fine from the City of Terrell for releasing the silver-laden water into the city?s treatment system. The internal investigation uncovered that Lakota would report only samples with favorable results while rejecting the majority of samples which revealed the excessive amounts of silver in the water. Lakota was subsequently fired. Fujicolor has also pleaded guilty to violating the federal water quality standards and also agreed to pay a $200,000.00 fine.

More later.

As always, feel free to call me or e-mail me with any questions at walter.james@jamespllc.com.

WDJiii

Full post as published by Environmental Crimes Blog on June 26, 2008 (boomark / email).