Baltimore Lead Inspector Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Lead Inspection Certificates

BALTIMORE, MD ( December 1, 2009) - Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Alphonso D. White, 33, of Baltimore, was convicted in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City with seven counts of illegally falsifying lead certificates to the Maryland Department of the Environment. Judge Shirley M. Watts sentenced White to seven years in jail, all suspended, imposed a $5,000 fine, and required him to perform 200 hours of community service. White was placed on probation for three years and further ordered to pay restitution to the property owners totaling $2,000.

The investigation by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General revealed that White, an accredited lead inspector, falsified Lead Paint Risk Reduction Certificates for properties at 510 Highland Avenue, 2418 Barclay Street, 2329 and 2327 Harlem Avenue, and 2629 N. Charles Street in Baltimore City. The first false certificates were discovered by the Department of the Environment’s Lead Accreditation and Oversight Division when they received information from Schneider Laboratories concerning falsified lab reports. The execution of a search and seizure warrant for White’s residence resulted in the seizure of computer files that identified the other three properties where false certificates and lab reports were issued. Also found in the files was a blank template for Schneider Laboratories Analysis Report.

A property constructed before 1950 that contains at least one rental dwelling unit must satisfy a risk reduction standard before a tenant occupies the property. The submission of an inspector’s report of the result of the inspection for lead-contaminated dust to the Maryland Department of the Environment serves as proof that the owner is in compliance with the lead risk reduction standard for the affected property.

This conviction follows an investigation by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General with the assistance of the Maryland Department of Environment’s Lead Accreditation and Oversight Division, the Baltimore City Police Department and the Maryland State Police.