Four charged with illegal dumping
Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section have filed criminal charges against four Northumberland County men accused of illegally dumping old furniture, household garbage and other waste.
Corbett identified the defendants as: Joseph Chamberlin, Charles R. Wolfe, Steve Snyder, and Andrew Cerklewski.
Corbett said that Chamberlin allegedly allowed the illegal dumping to occur on property he owned, known as "Chamberlin Farm," located along Irish Valley Road, in Shamokin Township, Northumberland County. Much of the waste was allegedly generated by Wolfe, who owned and operated Charlie's Used Furniture in Shamokin Township.
According to the criminal charges, the material dumped at the Chamberlin Farm site included old and broken furniture and other items that Wolfe was unable to sell at his business. Wolfe allegedly paid Chamberlin $20 to $200 intermittently in order to dump material at the farm rather than take it to a landfill for disposal.
Corbett said that during an Aug. 14, 2006 search of the Chamberlin property, agents observed a dump site that covered an area approximately 150 yards long, 25 yards wide and up to six feet deep. The waste found at the site included old furniture and appliances, demolition waste and household garbage.
According to the criminal charges, Snyder allegedly assisted Wolfe by transporting truck-loads of waste from Wolfe's store to the Chamberlin Farm site. Additionally, Snyder and Cerklewski allegedly charged other Shamokin area residents to transport and dump household waste at the Chamberlain property.
Corbett said that Chamberlin and Wolfe are both charged with one count each of illegally dumping solid waste, illegally transporting solid waste and operating a solid waste disposal site without a permit.
Snyder and Cerklewski are both charged with one count each of illegally dumping solid waste and operating a solid waste disposal site without a permit.
All of the charges are third degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $25,000 per violation.
Corbett said the criminal charges were filed today before Shamokin Magisterial District Judge John Gembic, who scheduled preliminary hearings for 10 a.m. ,Jan. 30.. All four defendants were released on $1,000 unsecured bail.
The case will be prosecuted in Northumberland County by Deputy Attorney General Richard R. Tomsho of the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section.
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