ELEVEN CHARGED WITH USING FALSE ASBESTOS CERTIFICATES
26 years ago
Eleven individuals have been charged in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana with violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) by using false training documents to obtain licenses as asbestos workers in Louisiana. Jose Alvarenga of Dallas, Texas; Frank Hunt of Baton Rouge, La.; Fabian Jaramillo Martinez of Houston, Texas; Andres Montes of Houston, Texas; Rodrigo Morales of Houston, Texas; Tamir Rashadeen of Milwaukee, Wis.; Jean Manford Simmons of New Orleans, La.; Sheila Webb of New Orleans, La.; and Dexter T. Wells of Slidell, La., were all charged on Oct. 22. David L. Brewster and Mark W. Young of Lake Charles, La., were charged previously. The CAA require that workers be properly trained before they are employed in activities involving the removal of asbestos. Training is required to prevent worker exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer, a lung disease known as “asbestosis,” and mesothelioma which is a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. The defendants could face a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
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