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PA POLL. OF THE MISS. RIVER NETS INDICTMENT FOR BARGE CO.

Release Date: 5/28/96
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Note: On February 5, 1997, Gary Newt and Newt Marine were acquitted after trial. Don Stoll, Robert Meana, John Hirsh, William Ries, and Mike Sandidge, who were employees of Newt Marine, pled guilty to charges stemming from the same activity for which Mr. Newt was acquitted. In June 1996, Don Stoll pled guilty to negligently violating the Clean Water Act and was sentenced in April 1997. On July 17, 1996, William Ries and John Hirsh pled guilty to knowingly violating the Rivers and Harbors Act and were sentenced in March 1997. In July 1996, Mike Sandidge pled guilty to knowingly violating the Rivers and Harbors Act and was also sentenced in March 1997. Ries, Hirsh, and Sandidge were each sentenced to 30 days confinement with work release privileges, one year supervised release, and a fine of $1,000 plus interest. In their pleas, Ries, Hirsh and Sandidge admitted to knowingly participating in the dumping of refuse into the Mississippi River without a permit. On January 31, 1997, Robert Meana pled guilty to knowingly violating the Rivers and Harbors Act and was sentenced in April 1997, to 30 days confinement, a fine of $3,000 and one year supervised release.

PA POLL. OF THE MISS. RIVER NETS INDICTMENT FOR BARGE CO.

FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, MAY 28, 1996

POLLUTION OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NETS INDICTMENT FOR BARGE CLEANING COMPANY AND THREE EXECUTIVES

A federal grand jury on May 17 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, indicted Newt Marine Service and three of its executives for illegally dumping barge waste material into the Mississippi River. The individual defendants included Gary W. Newt, president; Donald R. Stoll, former general manager; and Robert Meana, operations/sales manager. Newt Marine Service, Gary W. Newt and Roberta Meana were indicted for six felony counts of conspiracy and violations of the Clean Water Act. Donald R. Stoll was charged with one count of a negligent violation of the Clean Water Act. The indictment alleges that for more than three years, June 1, 1991 through Aug. 30, 1994, Newt Marine Service, Gary Newt and Robert Meana, cleaned barges which transported various materials such as coal, fertilizers, pig iron, scrap iron, salt and grains. The company allegedly routinely cleaned barges by either sweeping or shoveling wastes into 55-gallon drums or by pumping the waste directly into the Mississippi River through a portable pump. Stoll was indicted for his role after he joined the company in 1992. Gary Newt and Robert Meana face a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and/or a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. Donald Stoll may receive a maximum penalty of one year imprisonment and/or a $100,000 fine. If convicted, Newt Marine Service may also receive a maximum fine of $500,000 on each count. This prosection results from an investigation by EPA's Criminal Investigation Division.

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