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BALTIMORE MAN SENTENCED FOR OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
Release Date: 04/19/2001
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2001
Edwin J. Hayes of Baltimore, Md., was sentenced to serve one year and one day in jail and pay a $20,000 fine on April 9 for obstructing justice during the investigation of a scheme to sell fraudulent asbestos training certificates in violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act. Hayes pleaded guilty and admitted that he had advised Omar Gonzalez, a certified asbestos trainer, to lose “all your paperwork” and “make sure it gets done” when Hayes knew that EPA Special Agents and the FBI were investigating Gonzalez for the unlawful sale of asbestos training certificates. Proper training and certification of asbestos workers are required to prevent the inhalation of asbestos fibers during removal activities. Inhaling asbestos fibers is a known cause of lung cancer, a lung disease known as “asbestosis” and mesothelioma which is a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Richmond.
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