KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., developer pleaded guilty in federal court today to improperly removing and disposing of asbestos-containing materials in connection with work at The Citadel Plaza Redevelopment Site.

William M. Threatt, Jr., 71, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to the charge contained in a June 29, 2010, federal indictment.

Threatt was the president and owner of The Citadel Plaza Redevelopment Site located in midtown Kansas City. Co-defendant Anthony Crompton, 42, of Kansas City, Mo., has also pleaded guilty. Crompton was an operator for The Citadel Plaza Redevelopment Site and a real estate director for Community Development Corporation of Kansas City. He directed the workers who performed demolition work at the Citadel Plaza site.

Threatt and Crompton admitted they violated the Clean Air Act in the process of removing and disposing of regulated asbestos-containing materials from numerous structures during the demolition and renovation of the Citadel Plaza site from April 2001 to July 2006. The Clean Air Act=s asbestos work practice standards describe the appropriate procedures for the notification and safe handling, stripping, removal and disposal of asbestos-containing materials during renovation or demolition to prevent emissions of particulate asbestos material into the air.

Threatt and Crompton failed to properly inspect the site for asbestos, remove asbestos materials prior to commencing work that could disturb the materials, ensure that asbestos materials were adequately wetted or otherwise captured in a ventilation system to reduce dust prior to disposal, ensure that asbestos materials were placed in leak-tight containers bearing warning labels, ensure that proper shipment records were maintained, ensure that a properly trained person in asbestos removal procedures was present at all times, ensure that asbestos waste was transported off-site in properly labeled containers, and ensure that asbestos waste was disposed of at approved disposal sites.

Under federal statutes, Threatt and Crompton are each subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250.000. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark. It was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division.

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