(TOLEDO, Ohio)—Greg Kuch, of Findlay, owner and operator of State Tank and Remediation, Inc., was sentenced in Lucas County Common Pleas Court today to pay $10,000 in restitution, perform 100 hours of community service and serve four years of community control after being convicted on one count of tampering with records.
The case was investigated by Ohio EPA, the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and U.S. EPA Criminal Investigation Division.
"I commend the investigators from BCI, Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA for uncovering this criminal record tampering. Today's sentence shows that falsifying records to skirt Ohio's environmental protection laws will not be tolerated," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said.
The agencies were alerted to possible criminal violations in 2009 by Toledo Division of Environmental Services (DES), who noticed that information on spring 2009 sampling reports filed by Kuch's company on behalf of Omni Source Corp. were incorrect. Omni Source is a metal recycling company that hired State Tank and Remediation to take wastewater samples required by the company's pretreatment permits with the city of Toledo.
Investigators determined Kuch had not taken all of the samples required by permits for Omni Source's three Toledo locations, but filed sampling reports with lab results and statements indicating proper sampling had occurred. Investigators determined there were multiple false statements filed in sampling reports submitted to Toledo DES between 2003 and 2009.
In a December 2011 plea bargain, Kuch was convicted on one felony count of tampering with records. At today's sentencing, prosecutors dismissed a felony theft charge and a misdemeanor falsification charge against Kuch and all charges against State Tank and Remediation.
The restitution requires payments of $5,000 to Omni Source and $5,000 to Ohio EPA. If Kuch violates any terms of the sentence, he will have to serve three years in prison.
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Media Contacts
Dan Tierney, Attorney General's Office: 614-466-3840
Dina Pierce, Ohio EPA: 614-644-2160