New York Man Indicted in Illegal Abatement Case

December 22, 2006 - A 64-year-old Cayuga County, New York man has been indicted by a grand jury in a case involving the illegal removal of asbestos at the county’s courthouse building in the city of Auburn.

NewsChannel 9 cites a statement by the U.S. District Attorney’s office which states that, after an ongoing investigation, John Chick “has been indicted on charges of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act and making false statements in connection to the alleged illegal asbestos removal.”

In addition to the alleged illegal abatement issues, Chick is also charged with lying in regards to hiring inmates at the local Cayuga County prison to complete the removal job at the courthouse.  Furthermore, he is also charged with denying workers requests to wear dust masks while removing the asbestos.

Chick’s illegal removal occurred in February 2006, several months before the Cayuga County Courthouse closed for asbestos testing at the end of the summer.  If he’s found guilty of wrongdoing, Chick will face a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.