Former Sioux City Council Member Sentenced in Federal Court for Environmental Crimes

A man who unlawfully stored and transported hazardous waste was sentenced on November 8, 2021, in federal court. 

Aaron Rochester, 47, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty on March 19, 2021, to one count of unlawful storage of hazardous waste and one count of transportation of hazardous waste.

At various court hearings, evidence showed that from June 2015 through about January 2017, Rochester, as owner and operator of Recycletronics, knowingly and unlawfully stored and transported hazardous waste, namely CRTs (cathode ray tubes) and leaded glass from televisions and computers at various facilities in and around Sioux City, Iowa. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Rochester was sentenced to three years’ probation, fined $4,055,978.64, and must serve a term of three years of supervised release.

“Rochester’s disregard for the laws governing proper hazardous waste transportation and storage posed significant risks to nearby communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Iowa. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that EPA and our law enforcement partners are committed to enforcing laws designed to protect human health and the environment.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 18-4073.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.