Mason County Man Gets Federal Prison Time For Illegally Dumping Raw Sewage

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin today announced that a Mason County man was sentenced to a year and a half in federal prison for dumping a pollutant into waters of the United States without a permit. Frank Zuspan, 61, of Mason County, W.Va., previously pleaded guilty in September 2012.  Zuspan admitted that in or about December 2010, he took a 2400-gallon sewage hauling truck to property in Mason County, W.Va. and illegally dumped sewage onto the property.  Zuspan further admitted that the sewage was dumped into a lake and stream watershed in Mason County that connected to the Ohio River.  The defendant also admitted that he discharged untreated sewage onto the Mason County property on multiple occasions between November 2010 and February 2011. 

“You can’t pour raw sewage into your neighbors’ water supply,” said U.S. Attorney Goodwin. “It’s dangerous and it’s illegal, for obvious reasons. People should know better.”

“Today’s sentencing proves that anyone who damages the environment and puts the public at risk will be vigorously prosecuted,” said David G. McLeod, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in West Virginia.

The Environmental Protection Agency conducted the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes and Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry McDaniel handled the prosecution.  The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.