Eden Trucking Company And Owner Plead Guilty
Falsified Driving Logs May Result in Prison, Fines
Greensboro, N.C. – United States Attorney Ripley Rand announced today that an Eden trucking company owner has waived indictment and pleaded guilty, individually and on behalf of a corporation, to a one count Information charging violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (False Statements).
The guilty pleas were entered on January 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, by Roger D. "Butch" Mabe, Jr., 49, and Mabe Trucking Co., Inc., of Eden, North Carolina. “Butch” Mabe, President of Mabe Trucking, also entered the plea on behalf of the corporation.
The Information alleges that Mabe and the corporation engaged in the falsification of driver's duty status logs for the purpose of concealing from the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration the number and times of hours driven as required by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. These regulations limit the number of hours a truck driver can operate a vehicle and are aimed at preventing motor vehicle accidents caused by driver fatigue. Truck drivers are required to record their duty status on logs to ensure they do not exceed the maximum number of allowable driving hours, and that they receive sufficient rest before driving again. Mabe and the corporation are alleged to have falsified such logs in an effort to exceed these hours of service restrictions and avoid detection by law enforcement.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 20, 2012, in Greensboro. Mabe faces a maximum penalty of up to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. The corporation may be subject to a fine of up to $500,000 and probation for not less than one and not more than five years.
The charges resulted from an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cliff Barrett.
