OWNER OF CARPET CLEANING BUSINESS SENTENCED
FOR WATER POLLUTION VIOLATION

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today the guilty plea and sentencing of Carl Helfand, 56, of the 100 block of Strongwood Road in Owings Mills, for a water pollution violation. Helfand pleaded guilty to discharging a pollutant into the waters of the State on September 19, 2001 before Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge John O. Hennegan.

According to the statement of facts, employees of Helfand’s company, Scientific Carpet Care, disposed of carpet cleaning waste water while working in the 7900 block of Harford Road in the Parkville area of Baltimore County. The waste water entered a nearby storm drain which empties into the Chesapeake Bay.

It is a criminal violation to discharge a pollutant into the waters of the State or to place a pollutant in a location where it is likely to pollute.

Helfand was placed on a period of three years probation, ordered to obtain all necessary discharge permits and to properly dispose of all carpet cleaning waste water lawfully in the future. He was further fined $10,000 with all but $1,500 of the fine suspended.  Judge Hennegan reserved the right to impose the remaining portion of the fine and incarcerate Helfand should he fail to comply with all conditions of his probation.

 This case was investigated by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General with the assistance of  the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland State Police.

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