Man Sentenced for Lying About Asbestos

A resident of New York was recently sentenced for false claims he made to officials regarding the removal of asbestos in the Massena Central School District.

According to reports, the man has received two years probation, will be expected to take part in 100 hours of community service and has been fined.

Asbestos Removal Illegally Conducted

Ben G. Gladding, 48, pleaded guilty earlier this year to providing false information to a federal special agent regarding asbestos.

Gladding reportedly told investigators that he didn’t remove asbestos from any of the schools in the district over the 29 years that he worked there.

However, he had in fact removed asbestos in the district several times throughout his career.

Failure to Report Asbestos Inspection

Gladding is also being charged for falsifying a report of an inspection that occurred at Jefferson Elementary School.

He did not report that friable asbestos had been disturbed on the school grounds during the inspection.

Friable asbestos is a material that can easily be crushed into powder and as a result can become airborne.

Asbestos was supposedly used in the piping insulation and floor tiles at Jefferson Elementary and school officials worry the disturbed asbestos put the students and staff at risk.

(Source: Watertown Daily Times)

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