Calvin Burks Press Release (Indictment)

September 18, 2009
For Immediate Release

LOCAL ASBESTOS INSPECTOR INDICTED

St. Louis, MO: Calvin Burks was indicted for creating fictitious asbestos inspection reports on buildings to be demolished in the City of St. Louis, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today.

Calvin Burks, owner of J &C Environmental Services, Incorporated, St. Louis, conducted asbestos inspections in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

According to the indictment, from approximately April 2008 through May 2009, Burks performed over 100 asbestos inspections of buildings in the City of St. Louis, that were to be demolished and charged a fee for the inspection and the analysis of suspect asbestos material. Approximately 108 of the inspection reports Burks provided to the demolition contractors and/or building owners contained sample analysis which were on letterhead of Precision Analysis Testing Laboratory in St. Louis, even though Precision Analysis had not conducted the asbestos analysis or testing. Burks copied the Precision Analysis letterhead from a previous job and falsified the additional information provided in the approximately 108 reports, including the sample analysis of suspect asbestos material.

Burks charged approximately $150 for the fraudulent inspections and sampling analysis, which were then relied on by building contractors and owners when submitting asbestos NESHAP (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants) notification of demolition and renovation to the City of St. Louis. Based on this notification the City of St. Louis subsequently issued a demolition permit authorizing the demolition of a building.

CALVIN BURKS, St. Louis, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday afternoon on three felony counts of making false statements and one felony count of mail fraud.

If convicted, each count of false statements carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; mail fraud carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

Reap commended the work performed on the case by Region 7 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Special Assistant United States Attorney Anne Rauch, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI MICHAEL W. REAP Acting United States Attorney	NEWS RELEASE
For further information call (314) 539-2200
September 18, 2009 For Immediate Release LOCAL ASBESTOS INSPECTOR INDICTED St. Louis, MO: Calvin Burks was indicted for creating fictitious asbestos inspection reports on buildings to be demolished in the City of St. Louis, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today. Calvin Burks, owner of J &C Environmental Services, Incorporated, St. Louis, conducted asbestos inspections in the St. Louis metropolitan area. According to the indictment, from approximately April 2008 through May 2009, Burks performed over 100 asbestos inspections of buildings in the City of St. Louis, that were to be demolished and charged a fee for the inspection and the analysis of suspect asbestos material. Approximately 108 of the inspection reports Burks provided to the demolition contractors and/or building owners contained sample analysis which were on letterhead of Precision Analysis Testing Laboratory in St. Louis, even though Precision Analysis had not conducted the asbestos analysis or testing. Burks copied the Precision Analysis letterhead from a previous job and falsified the additional information provided in the approximately 108 reports, including the sample analysis of suspect asbestos material. Burks charged approximately $150 for the fraudulent inspections and sampling analysis, which were then relied on by building contractors and owners when submitting asbestos NESHAP (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants) notification of demolition and renovation to the City of St. Louis. Based on this notification the City of St. Louis subsequently issued a demolition permit authorizing the demolition of a building. CALVIN BURKS, St. Louis, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury Thursday afternoon on three felony counts of making false statements and one felony count of mail fraud. If convicted, each count of false statements carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; mail fraud carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000. Reap commended the work performed on the case by Region 7 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Special Assistant United States Attorney Anne Rauch, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.