KANSAS CITY, Mo. --  David M. Ketchmark, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., developer was sentenced in federal court today for 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, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to pay a $10,000 fine and serve five years of probation, including up to 120 days at a halfway house and 250 hours of community service.

Threatt, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 1, 2012, was the president and owner of The Citadel Plaza Redevelopment Site located in midtown Kansas City. Co-defendant Anthony Crompton, 43, of Kansas City, Mo., has also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years of probation. 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.

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

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