Man Admits Dumping Raw Sewage On Camp Pendleton

SAN DIEGO - Victor Amezcua, a resident of Winchester, California, pleaded guilty in federal court today to dumping raw sewage on Camp Pendleton.

According to his plea agreement, Amezcua admitted that on at least four occasions during 2013 and 2014, while he was employed at a firm which had a contract to dispose of porta-potty waste from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, he pumped the sewage into a ravine in area 53 on the base. Amezcua acknowledged that he was employed as the driver of a vacuum truck and he was supposed to collect the sewage from the porta-potties and dispose of it in large holding tanks located on the base, which would be later pumped out and their contents disposed of at the sewage treatment plants on base. Instead, Amezcua admitted that he knowingly pumped the contents of his vacuum truck into a ravine in Area 53, without testing the sewage or notifying anyone at the base, as required by federal regulations.

Amezcua is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Larry A. Burns on September 28, 2015, at 9:30 am.

DEFENDANT		Case Number: 15cr1645-LAB
Victor Amezcua	Age: 44	Winchester, California
CHARGES
Count 1: Unlawful Disposal of Sewage, in violation of 33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(2)(A) and 1345. Maximum Penalties: 3 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine or $50,000 per day of violation, whichever is greater, a minimum fine of $5,000 per day of violation, $100 special assessment, restitution.
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigations Division Naval Criminal Investigative Service