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PA GUILTY PLEAS FOR VARIOUS FEDERAL LAWS

Release Date: 06/28/96
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PA GUILTY PLEAS FOR VARIOUS FEDERAL LAWS

FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1996

DISCHARGING HAZARDOUS WASTES INTO CITY SEWERS LEADS TO FELONY GUILTY PLEA FOR PLATING COMPANY AND THREE SAN ANTONIO MEN

On June 27, River City Plating Co. in San Antonio, Texas, Ray H. Phipps, owner of River City Plating, his son Russell Phipps and employee Keith Krupalla pleaded guilty to felony violations of various federal laws. River City Plating Co. and the other defendants are charged with discharging hazardous wastes into the city sewer system in San Antonio. River City Plating was a general plating business which electroplated a variety of objects including automobile bumpers, silverware, trays and pots. Ray Phipps and the other defendants admitted that they discharged waste metals including nickel, chromium, copper and zinc into the San Antonio sewer system from 1988 to 1994. The elder Phipps admitted that he had informed the City of San Antonio Water System that River City Plating was a "zero discharger," meaning River City claimed that it discharged no industrial wastes into the sewers. Discharging hazardous wastes into sewers can present significant public health risks and risks of damage to sewers and sewage treatment facilities. Ray Phipps may receive up to three years incarceration and/or up to $250,000 in monetary penalties for one felony count of violating the Clean Water Act. Russell Phipps may receive up to three years incarceration and/or up to $250,000 in fines for one felony count for not reporting the violations by River City Plating. Keith Krupalla may receive up to five years incarceration and/or up to $250,000 in fines for one felony count of perjury for making false statements in front of a federal grand jury and River City Plating may receive a fine of up to $250,000 for one felony count of violating the Clean Water Act. The case was investigated by the joint federal/state Texas Environmental Task Force which includes representatives from EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission's Special Investigations Division, the San Antonio Water System and the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Antonio.