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MEN FROM TEXAS AND WYOMING CHARGED WITH EXPOSING COLORADO STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO ASBESTOS
Release Date: 04/13/2001
Contact Information:
FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2001
MEN FROM TEXAS AND WYOMING CHARGED WITH EXPOSING
COLORADO STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO ASBESTOS
Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov
COLORADO STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO ASBESTOS
Luke C. Hester 202-564-7818 / hester.luke@epa.gov
Daniel Argil of Houston, Tex., and David Backus of Cheyenne, Wy., were arrested on April 6 and charged with knowingly endangering students and faculty at the local high school in Fort Morgan, Col., by allegedly engaging in activities that exposed them to asbestos. The defendants allegedly were responsible for the improper removal of asbestos at the school and allegedly allowed students and faculty to return to the building, knowing that it was contaminated with asbestos fibers. Inhaling asbestos fibers is a known cause of lung cancer, a lung disease known as “asbestosis,” and mesothelioma, which is a cancer of the chest and abdominal cavities. Argil was the asbestos abatement project supervisor at Fort Morgan High School, employed by National Service Cleaning Corp., while Backus was employed by Steve Herron and Associates to independently monitor the asbestos cleanup at the school. Both men have also been charged with a variety of federal charges including violations of the Clean Air Act, making false statements and mail fraud. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum of up to fifteen years in prison and/or a $1 million fine on each count of knowing endangerment and up to five years in prison and/or up to $250,000 on each of the other counts of the indictment. The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Internal Revenue Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service with the assistance of EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Denver. An indictment is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.
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