CHIEF ENGINEER ON CARGO VESSEL PLEADS GUILTY TO MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT TO THE COAST GUARD
VERENO BORILLO, a Philippine citizen, age 63, pled guilty today before U. S. District Chief Judge Sarah Vance to making a false statement to the United States Coast Guard, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
The government filed a Bill of Information on March 1, 2012, charging BORILLO with one count violation of Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001. The maximum penalty BORILLO faces is a maximum statutory penalty of five (5) years incarceration and a fine.
BORILLO admitted today that on December 8, 2011 and December 20, 2011, the engineering crews aboard the M/V FD Jacques Graubart under his control pumped out oily bilge waste water directly into the sea without the use of required pollution prevention equipment. During that time, the crew intentionally covered up the illegal discharges of oil waste by falsifying the vessel’s oil record book. BORILLO was employed as the Chief Engineer of the M/V J.D. Jacques Graubart, a ship operated by CSL Maritime S.A.-Tokyo Branch (CSL). CSL was a Japanese based company that operated a fleet of ocean-going vessels that transported cargo and goods. Borillo’s contract of employment was with CSL. As Chief Engineer, Borillo was in charge of the Engineering Department and reported to the Master. Engineering comprises the ship’s machinery spaces, engines, propulsion system, and pollution prevention equipment such as the Oil Water Separator. Engineering is in charge of ensuring that bilges are maintained at safe levels, which requires periodically pumping out bilge tanks and wells.
On January 4, 2012, the Coast Guard boarded the M/V FD Jacques Graubart for a port state control inspection to ascertain compliance with health, safety, and anti-pollution protocols. BORILLO presented the inspectors with the oil record book, knowing that it contained false entries and omitted material facts. The Coast Guard investigation revealed deficiencies and discrepancies between the oil record book and the oil content meter. On January 4, 2012, the vessel was detained.
This case was investigated criminally by the United States Coast Guard Criminal Investigative Services and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dorothy Manning Taylor and Spiro G. Latsis.
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