Three companies and eleven people are facing felony charges connected with violating the Clean Air Act and/or tampering with emissions controls on vehicles.
Mark Totten is the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. He alleges it was a conspiracy by a software company, a truck repair shop, and a trucking firm.
“Who participated in a complex aftermarket scheme to disable the emissions control systems on heavy duty diesel engine trucks, what we commonly refer to as semi-trucks.”
The felony charges are violating the Clean Air Act and/or tampering with emissions monitoring devices which is sometimes referred to as a “deletion” or “deleting” the emissions controls.
The companies are Diesel Freak, a software programmer in Gaylord, a truck repair shop called Accurate Truck Service and a trucking firm, Griffin Transportation, both in Grand Rapids.
“Diesel Freak, LLC, again a software programmer, deleted or assisted in deleting at least 362 vehicles. Accurate Truck Service, LLC, a hardware mechanic, deleted or assisted in deleting at least 83 vehicles,” Totten said during an online news conference.
Plea agreements have been signed by the companies and nine of the people charged. Two others have just recently been indicted by a grand jury.
The companies could face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and some individuals could face sentences of up to five years.
The Environmental Protection Agency investigated the case and brought it to the U.S. Attorney’s attention.
“By illegally tampering with emissions controls on diesel trucks operating throughout the United States and Canada, defendants caused the excessive release of diesel exhaust containing toxic gases and impurities harmful to public health and the environment,” Richard Conrad, acting special agent in charge of the U.S. EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division said in a release.
