Charges of Dumping Hazardous Waste Filed
The Orange County district attorney’s office has filed 17 felony dumping charges against a Buena Park chrome-wheel manufacturing company, its owner and three employees.
The four are accused of discharging heavy metals, corrosive acid and other hazardous wastes into sewer and storm-drain systems.
The defendants are the Ultra Wheel Corp. and its owner, James Smith, 55, and managers Michael Schott, 31; Paul Mayasich, 33; and Gerardo Welti, 49.
They face up to 11 years and six months in state prison and $1 million in fines if convicted of all charges.
The charges followed a two-year investigation by local, state and federal agencies.
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