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PENNSYLVANIA MAN INDICTED FOR ILLEGAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL
Release Date: 07/22/99
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1999
PENNSYLVANIA MAN INDICTED FOR ILLEGAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL
William Lee Slocum, Jr., of Youngsville, Pa., was indicted on July 15 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh for conspiracy and violations of the Clean Water Act. Between February 1983 and June 1995, Slocum was employed at the Borough of Youngsville’s sewage treatment plant. It is alleged that he and others caused raw sewage to bypass the treatment areas of the plant and discharge directly into Brokenstraw creek. The defendant is also alleged to have failed to remove sludge from the plant in a timely manner, to have concealed the fact that the plant was hydraulically overloaded, and to have tampered with flowmeter equipment. Discharging raw sewage into surface waters can increase concentrations of E. coli and other bacteria which can cause people who are exposed to the waters to develop intestinal and other infections. If convicted on all counts, Slocum could face a maximum sentence of up to 32 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $2.5 million. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice.
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