Convictions on smuggling Roundup
Subject: CONVICTIONS ON 35 FEDERAL VIOLATIONS IN MONTANA----
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 16:58:45 -0500
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of
California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
Dear Mr. Helliker,
I thought you might like to read an EPA Press Advisory entitled:
CONVICTIONS ON 35 FEDERAL VIOLATIONS IN MONTANA (Press Advisory
11/21/00).
Larry Johnson, part-owner of AG Wise Inc., an
agricultural supply store located in the area of Kremlin, Mont., was
convicted on Nov.15, in U.S. District Court in Helena on 35 counts of
violating federal laws. A
jury found Johnson guilty of conspiring to smuggle, smuggling and money
laundering with respect to a scheme to illegally import a formulation of
the herbicide "Roundup," the sale of which is prohibited in
the United States because it can cause severe and irreversible eye
damage. The court ruled
Johnson must forfeit $641,000. On
Nov.13, several of Johnson's co-defendants also pleaded guilty.
Larry Matthews pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle the
prohibited herbicide known as "Roundup Export" into the United
States. John Hadley pleaded
guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of a pesticide that is
not registered for sale in the United States.
Daniel Zabel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
All defendants in this case are scheduled to be sentenced in
February. The defendants'
actions led to the illegal importation of approximately 24,000 gallons
of Roundup Export into the United States between 1995 and 1998.
The case was investigated by EPA's Criminal Investigation
Division, the U.S. Customs Service, and the Internal Revenue Service
with the assistance of EPA's National Enforcement Investigations Center.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Helena prosecuted the case.
Well Mr. Helliker,
I believe that a leader's job is to make it easy to do the right
thing and difficult to do the wrong thing.
I also believe if people are allowed to learn how to use safe and
far more effective
(unregistered) alternatives - they will not be looking for stronger and
more dangerous, illegal POISONS. What
do you believe? Will you
make it easier for people to do the right thing or will you continue to
demand that only your "registered" POISONS can
"legally" be used to "control" pest problems in
California?
Respectfully,
Stephen L. Tvedten
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