Contractor Charged with Failure to Report an Oil Spill

BALTIMORE, MD (June 4, 2007) - Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Carlos Perea, 37, of Hyattsville was charged in the District Court for Howard County with failing to report an oil spill. Perea allegedly permitted oil to discharge from an above ground storage tank and then failed to report the spill to the Maryland Department of the Environment. The incident occurred in the Capital Mobile Park, a trailer park located at 6636 Washington Boulevard in Elkridge.

If convicted of the offense, Perea could receive a maximum fine of $50,000 and one year in jail. The filing of charges is merely an accusation of criminal wrongdoing. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

These charges follow a joint investigation conducted by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General, the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Oil Program, and the Maryland State Police. A trial date has been set for July 17, 2007 in the Howard County District Court in Ellicott City.