Tennessee Salvage Company Owners and Operators Plead Guily to Conspiring to Violate the Clean Air Act

Three owners and operators of a Tennessee salvage and demolition company, A&E Salvage, Inc., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Greeneville, Tenn., for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act.

Newell (a.k.a., “Nick”) Smith, Armida Di Santi, and Milto Di Santi pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Greer for the Eastern District of Tennessee to one criminal felony count for conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act’s “work practice standards” salient to the proper wetting, stripping, bagging, and disposal of asbestos. According to the charges, Smith and the Di Santis, along with other co-conspirators, engaged in a multi-year scheme in which substantial amounts of regulated asbestos containing materials were improperly removed from components of the former Liberty Fibers Plant or were illegally left in place during demolition.

Smith and the Di Santis face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss to the victims.  

Asbestos has been determined to cause lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, an invariably fatal disease.  The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. 

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Environmental Protection Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Morris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Todd W. Gleason of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.