ANNE ARUNDEL MAN CHARGED IN FUEL OIL DUMPING

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Paolo Francesco Assante, 56, of the 500 block of Francis Nicholson Way in Annapolis, Maryland has been charged in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County for fuel oil dumping offenses. The charges allege that Assante violated the State's water pollution laws on August 16, 2004 by illegally discharging fuel oil into waters of the State and illegally discharging a pollutant into waters of the State in Anne Arundel County. Assante is alleged to have discharged fuel oil to a storm drain at 609 Taylor Avenue in Annapolis. Storm drains are by law considered waters of the State of Maryland.

If convicted of the illegal discharge of fuel oil into waters of the State, Assante could be sentenced to a year in prison and/or fined $50,000. If convicted of the illegal discharge of any pollutant into waters of the State, Assante could be sentenced to a year in prison and/or fined $25,000. The filing of charges is merely an accusation of criminal wrongdoing and each individual 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 with the assistance of the Maryland Department of Environment's Emergency Response Division.
Arraignment has been set for April 25th in Annapolis.

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