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10/15/2025
WT Staff
 Knowledge of an environmental crime? Give us a call at 877-52-WATER (877-529-2837), or email info@wtny.us
Oct 15, 2025 200 pm EDT
CrimeBox
Historic Conviction Fiscal Year 2014; Case ID# CR_2355 (Pennsylvania)
Water testing lab falsifies results to the EPA, FDA; Lab President jailed for 32 months
Three defendants faced felony charges including conspiracy, theft by deception and uttering false statements, along with criminal violations of the Clean Water Act. The principal defendant in this case is a water and wastewater testing laboratory based in Douglassville, PA, along with its President and Laboratory Director. Federal District Court in Philadephia heard the case, received the pleas and determined sentencing for this conspiracy to defraud the public with environmental crimes.
The defendants offered up the guilty plea, admitting to plotting a scheme to steal money and property from customers by deliberate falsification of lab test results. The defendants further admitted to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act, including delivery of a false report to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The corporate defendant, under the direction of President and Lab Manager, issued falsified test results, stating that proper EPA testing protocols were followed when they were not. The court found evidence that the defendants' test results were "false, inaccurate and unreliable". Analysis of Hurricane Katrina flood water required by the EPA was to include testing for cyanide contamination, for herbicides MCPA and MCPP, among others. Investigators found the defendants had prepared and mailed fraudulent test results for Hurricane Katrina flood water samples from September through October of 2005.
From July through September 2007, the defendants transmitted false and fraudulent test results for fruit imported from South America. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires imported fruit be tested for pesticide contamination, with a fixed and established protocol. The defendants did not perform the analysis as required by the FDA.
"Americans expect their public water supply to be clean and safe to drink and the fruit they buy safe to eat", said Special Agent-in-Charge David G. McLeod, Jr., of EPA's criminal enforcement program in Pennsylvania. "Violators who submit false reports or incorrect data undermine our efforts to protect the public and the environment."
From the court brief: "Today's sentencing is a clear and tangible example of how we hold companies and their senior executives accountable when they deliberately place the public at risk. American consumers must have confidence that the food imported from outside our borders is safe, fit for human consumption, and free from cancer-causing pesticides", said Special Agent-in-Charge Antoinette V. Henry, of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute individuals, like the defendants, who blatantly disregard and circumvent laws designed to protect the public health and allow these products to proceed to America's supermarkets."
The case was investigated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, the United States Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Moshang, III and Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams.
Incarceration: 32 months; Restitution: $170,912.50; Probation: 265 months
See last week's CrimeBox here, "Poultry processor violates a Consent Order, continues to discharge blood, grease and turkey parts to the local wastewater treatment plant"
CrimeBox briefs are compiled from EPA Criminal Enforcement records.
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