Farrell pleaded guilty to counts two and three in a federal indictment indirectly charging him with polluting the Elk River in Charleston as well as a permit violation and violating the Clean Water Act. He faces up to 93 years in prison.
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He will be sentenced Dec. 16. He faces bankruptcy fraud and pollution charges.
“This should serve as a wake-up call to those who operate chemical storage facilities near our water resources”, Goodwin said in a news conference with reporters after the plea hearing.
“Look guys. It has been an extremely long day”, Southern said, occasionally drinking from a bottle of water. “I would appreciate if we could wrap this thing up”. Now, $7 million and a Bentley will go back to Southern.
And in the criminal case, a community group is pushing for restitution for victims.
U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin will not push for that.
Southern was indicted in December along with Freedom Industries and five more company officials. But improvements to the wall weren’t made.
Former Freedom Industries executive Dennis Farrell is expected to enter the plea Tuesday morning in Charleston federal court in front of Judge Thomas Johnston.
Farrell and Southern had pleaded not guilty initially ahead of a scheduled Oct. 6 trial date.
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A class-action lawsuit is also ongoing against the chemical’s producer, Eastman Chemical, and West Virginia American Water, the utility whose water supply became laced with chemicals.
