Two individuals have been found guilty in Montgomery County Circuit Court for their involvement in an unlawful dumping incident that resulted in environmental harm to a nearby pond.
Robert H. Dupey, aged 51, from Randallstown, and Jaime A. Beza, aged 33, from Berwyn Heights, have been found guilty of violating Maryland’s environmental laws pertaining to the discharge of pollutants. These convictions were the result of an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit (ENRCU) and the Montgomery County Department of the Environment.
On April 18, 2024, Dupey and Beza, employees of JPG Plumbing and Mechanical, Inc., encountered an incident. Their task was to vacuum water and sludge at a Montgomery County location. However, when they picked up Truck #85 from the company’s Laurel lot, they found that the tank was filled with grease and other pollutants. This made it impossible for them to complete their task. Instead of making the two-hour round trip to the Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Facility in Washington, D.C., for proper disposal, the defendants chose to illegally dump the toxic waste.
Beza and Dupey transported the truck to Ashton Village Center, situated on Olney Sandy Spring Road in Montgomery County. In a clandestine act, they proceeded to unload the truck’s cargo into a nearby manhole hidden behind a 7-Eleven convenience store. Astonishingly, this manhole served as a direct drain into Ashton Pond, which is nestled within a residential community. Surveillance footage from the incident clearly captured the moment when Dupey detached the vacuum hose from the truck, while Beza opened the manhole. Shockingly, the illicitly dumped waste swiftly contaminated the pond and its surrounding drainage pipes with an overwhelming amount of grease.
A concerned citizen noticed the incident and promptly informed the authorities. In response, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) took action by deploying absorbent booms to minimize the discharge. JPG Plumbing and Mechanical, in their efforts to clean up the spill, incurred expenses amounting to more than $69,000.
“Illegally dumping toxic waste into our waterways is not just reckless—it’s an outright betrayal of the responsibility businesses and their employees have to our communities,” said Attorney General Anthony G. Brown. “This kind of lawlessness endangers public health, harms our environment, and will not be tolerated.”
On December 30, 2024, Beza admitted to discharging a pollutant and was sentenced to almost one year in jail, which was suspended. Instead, Beza was placed on supervised probation and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine to the Maryland Clean Water Fund. Dupey, on the other hand, pleaded guilty on January 29 and was given probation along with a $1,000 fine, also payable to the Maryland Clean Water Fund.
“Illegal dumping poses a significant danger to our environment and the well-being of our communities,” emphasized Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “This particular incident highlights the importance of enforcing strict measures. Through the combined efforts of a diligent resident, our Department of Environmental Protection, and the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the individuals responsible for this act were appropriately held accountable.”
The Maryland Attorney General’s office, along with local agencies, is currently carrying out investigations and legal actions to combat environmental crimes and safeguard the waterways and natural environments of Maryland.