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Former Connecticut Town Official Indicted on Asbestos Charges
Release Date: 09/17/2003
Contact Information:
Teresa Libera 202-564-7873 / teresa.libera@epa.gov
(09/17/03) Michael Saad, former Economic Development Director for the town of Plainfield, Conn., was indicted on Aug. 27, on charges that he recommended the demolition of a building containing asbestos. The indictment alleges that Saad advised Edward Carroll to demolish portions of a building at the Inter-Royal Mill in Plainfield, knowing that these portions of the building contained asbestos that had not been properly remediated. The failure to remediate asbestos before demolition can cause asbestos fibers to become airborne where they can be inhaled by workers and the public. 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. If convicted, Saad faces 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 (Boston) with the assistance of EPA’s National Enforcement Investigations Center. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Haven. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.
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