SEVERN MAN SENTENCED FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Lino Razuri, 43, of the 500 block of Queenstown Road in Severn, Maryland was sentenced for illegal dumping in excess of 500 pounds at 627 Queenstown Road in Severn, Maryland.

Razuri was convicted last Friday by the Honorable Meagan Johnson after a trial in the District Court for Anne Arundel County. Today, Judge Johnson sentenced Razuri to 24 months in prison, all of which was suspended. Razuri was also fined $5,000, of which $2,000 was suspended, and sentenced to one year of probation.

In January 2006, a homeowner discovered an oil tank dumped on his property. After the homeowner reported the incident, the Maryland Department of the Environment-Emergency Response Division responded to the scene and recovered almost 100 gallons of waste oil from inside the tank. Approximately 5-10 gallons of waste oil had leaked into the soil. An investigation revealed that the tank had been dumped on the property by Mr. Razuri, who lives nearby.

By law, the dumping, depositing, throwing or leaving of any litter on any public or private place is prohibited unless such property is designated by the State, or local subdivision as a disposal site for such litter. Maryland law provides for greater penalties based on the weight of the material dumped. Razuri illegally dumped debris weighing over 500 pounds which carries the highest maximum penalty of up to five years in jail and/or a $30,000 fine.

The conviction resulted from a joint investigation of the Office of the Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Unit, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Maryland State Police.