Firm’s Operators Face Toxic Counts

Two brothers who operated a North Hollywood plating company were charged Friday with recklessly handling and storing thousands of gallons of cyanide waste and other hazardous materials, the district attorney’s office said.

Cyanide was also dumped into the Los Angeles sewer system at All-American Plating Corp. in the 7100 block of Vineland Avenue while open and unlabeled tanks of acids were stored so closely together that an accidental mixture could have resulted in a toxic cloud forming, Deputy Dist. Atty. William W. Carter said.

Carter said Yoav (Joe) Pantilant, 52, of Woodland Hills, owner and president of All-American Plating until it was closed down and was sold last month, was arrested Friday morning at the business while cleaning out his desk. His brother, Sarv (Tom) Pantilant, 45, of Saugus, who was general manager of the firm, was arrested at his home.

Carter said the brothers each face one felony count of reckless handling and storage of hazardous materials, seven misdemeanor counts of illegal storage of hazardous materials and one misdemeanor count of illegally discharging materials into the sewer system.