Clinton Waste Hauler Found Guilty - Filed False Discharge Reports

CLINTON - Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced today that his office has reached a plea agreement with Thomas M. Collins and Collins Sanitary, LLC of Clinton, Wisconsin resolving a criminal complaint filed in Walworth County in December of 2008.

Walworth County Circuit Court Judge Michael Gibbs found Collins Sanitary, LLC guilty after a plea of no contest was entered by Collins Sanitary, LLC.  Two other counts as well as the complaint against Mr. Collins personally, were dismissed. The defendant Collins Sanitary, LLC was ordered to pay $7,000 in fines and penalties. 

"The law demands truthful and accurate reporting. It is unlawful and unfair to engage in this untruthful  behavior," Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said.

The State alleged that defendants, Thomas M. Collins and Collins Sanitary, LLC, made false statements on discharge monitoring reports which were required to maintain a wastewater discharge permit.  The alleged crimes took place between December 2005 and August 2006. Collins Sanitary was required to file accurate reports regarding his company's discharge of industrial waste to a slurry store wastewater storage facility located in Clinton, Wisconsin. 

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources investigated this case which was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Cynthia R. Hirsch.