The companies involved in demolishing the Standard Coosa Thatcher textile plant are facing felony charges for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act when asbestos was improperly removed from site.
Staff File PhotoA federal jury today found three Chattanooga men and a company guilty of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act when they demolished an old textile mill without first properly removing asbestos.
Don Fillers, James Mathis and David Wood face a maximum of five years imprisonment on the conspiracy and asbestos removal violations. Fillers also faces a maximum of 20 years on a charge of obstruction of justice.
The three are to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Curtis L. Colllier on June 7.
Fillers’ company, Watkins Street Project LLC, also was found guilty in the case. Similar charges against Mathis’ company, Mathis Companies Inc., were dismissed on recommendation from prosecutors.
Mathis was found not guilty on one count: failure to have a trained [asbestos] individual on site.