ANNAPOLIS MAN CHARGED WITH WETLANDS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL VIOLATIONS

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that William Costello, 63, of the 1400 block of Sharps Point Road in Annapolis, Maryland, was charged in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County with one count of filling wetlands without a license and six counts of sediment control violations.

The charging document alleges that the defendant violated the State's wetlands and sediment control laws from December 8, 2003 through December 31, 2003 at his residence on Sharps Point Road.

The maximum penalty for filling wetlands without a license is a $10,000 fine. The maximum penalty for each of the sediment control charges is up to 1-year imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

The filing of charges is merely an accusation of criminal wrongdoing and anyone charged is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

These charges follow a joint investigation conducted by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General and the Maryland State Police Department, with the assistance of the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Anne Arundel County government. A trial date has not been set.

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