Local News in Brief : Counts Dropped for Firm, 2 Ex-Workers

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has dismissed criminal charges against BKK Corp. and two of its retired employees who were accused of conspiring with a South El Monte contractor to shortchange the state in the cleanup a Lynwood dump that was in the path of the Century Freeway.

Judge Judith C. Chirlin ordered the contractor, Andrew Papac & Sons, owners Andrew Papac and his son, Andrew G. Papac, and their business associate, William Dunlap, to stand trial Oct. 17 on embezzlement, forgery, grand theft and other charges. But she dismissed all charges against BKK Corp., its former controller, Dean Virden, and the former manager of its West Covina landfill, Jack Thompson.

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office more than a year ago accused the defendants of shortchanging the California Department of Transportation--which hired Papac & Sons to clean up the Lynwood property--through a secret agreement that gave a discount of $5 per ton on hazardous waste taken from the site and deposited at a BKK dump.

The district attorney’s office alleged that Caltrans was overcharged more than $1 million, but a Municipal Court judge ruled last December that the dispute involves only $46,000. And Chirlin, in dismissing the charges against BKK, said the company did nothing improper in granting a discounted dumping fee.