HARFORD COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH TIRE DISPOSAL AND COMMERCIAL DUMPING OFFENSES

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Henry Purnell Guercio, Jr., 42, of Coconut Court in Bel Air, was charged in the District Court of Maryland for Harford County with illegally disposing of scrap tires for monetary gain and with commercial dumping. The offenses allegedly occurred between August 15th and December 1st of 2002 on a farm located at 309-311 West Wheel Road in the Bel Air area of Harford County.

Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and/or a fine of $25,000. The filing of charges is merely an accusation of criminal wrongdoing and each individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Trial has been set for September 25, 2003.

The filing of charges follows a joint investigation conducted by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General and the Maryland State Police, with the assistance of the Maryland Department of Environment's Scrap Tire Program.

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