A former Democratic political boss was recently accused of illegally removing asbestos from a building.
Earlier this week, the case was closed when a judge found him guilty of the charges in a St. Louis courtroom.
Leader Under Fire
Charles Powell Junior, who at one time headed East St. Louis’ Democratic Party, allegedly failed to notify authorities when he removed asbestos from a local building.
State laws require that those who are handling the deadly substance are well trained and have the guidance of state authorities before removal occurs.
Powell pleaded guilty to the fact that he had illegally removed asbestos after being hired to renovate the Spivey Building in East St. Louis.
He also admitted that he had hired another man to help him do the work.
Ignored Laws
According to reports, both men were aware that the building contained asbestos when they were working on it.
However, they consciously ignored the state laws and improperly removed the substance and disposed of asbestos-covered pipes and other asbestos-containing material in 2002.
Other Charges
A federal judge sentenced Powell to a year and three months in a federal prison on environmental infractions.
Powell will also be serving an additional 21 months in prison due to previous charges brought against him in a vote-fraud scheme.
(Source: WQAD News)
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