United States Attorney David Capp

Northern District of Indiana

5400 Federal Plaza, Suite 1500

Hammond, Indiana 46320

Hammond                                                 South Bend                                               Fort Wayne

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         CONTACT: Mary L. Hatton

June 2, 2011                                                                                        PHONE: (219) 937-5500

www.usdoj.gov/usao/inn/                                                                    Fax: (219) 852-2770 

MAINTENANCE MANAGER 

PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE CLEAN AIR ACT PERMIT

Workers Falsified Baghouse Reports 

            Hammond, Indiana—The Maintenance Manager of Jupiter Aluminum Corporation in Hammond, Indiana, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Hammond to conspiracy to violate a permit issued pursuant to the Clean Air Act and causing mechanics at the facility to falsify records, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announced.

            Charles Woodworth pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Philip P. Simon for the Northern District of Indiana to one count of conspiracy to violate Jupiter Aluminum's Clean Air Act Title V Permit and falsifying documents required to be kept by the permit.    

            Jupiter Aluminum Corporation's Title V Clean Air Act Permit requires, among other things, that the facility's pollution control devices are properly maintained and that the company prepare and maintain accurate records related to the its pollution control systems, specifically, the baghouses.  The purpose of the baghouses is to prevent particulates, which result from Jupiter's aluminum recycling operations, from entering into the environment.  The requirement that accurate records are prepared and maintained is to help ensure that the pollution control instruments are performing in accordance with the permit requirements.

            According to a plea agreement filed with the court, from August 2002 through November 2007, maintenance workers at Jupiter Aluminum, who were supervised by Mr. Woodworth, falsified baghouse reports by providing false and fictitious information on the reports and omitting other information required by Jupiter Aluminum's permit. A sentencing date has been set for November 1, 2011 before Chief Judge Philip Simon.

            This investigation was conducted by Northern District of Indiana Environmental Crimes Task Force, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigative Division and Indiana Department of Environmental Management - Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Houston, together with Gary Donner of the Justice Department's Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division.

              The specific sentence in each case to be imposed upon conviction will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.