April 22, 2007

Former City of Los Angeles Workers Charged in Alleged Illegal Dumping Scheme

LOS ANGELES – Three former City of Los Angeles employees and a man who worked for the city part time as part of a welfare program were charged today with conspiracy, embezzlement and grand theft for allegedly allowing illegal dumping at a city yard and collecting money from truck drivers who brought their debris there.

Deputy District Attorney Sandi Roth of the Public Integrity Division said the four men are scheduled to appear for arraignment on May 17 in Los Angeles Superior Court Division 30. None are in custody and all are expected to surrender at that time.

The four are charged in case No. BA 317432 with one count each of conspiracy to commit dumping in commercial quality, a violation of Penal Code Section 374.3(h)(1); embezzlement by a public or private officer (PC 405); and grand theft of labor (PC 487(a)). If convicted, each faces a possible maximum penalty of three years and eight months in state prison.

Roth said the case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division after a tip that there was illegal dumping at the city-owned-and-operated Southwest Transfer Station, 5860 Wilton St. City street sweepers and trucks that pick up debris drop their loads at the station. The loads are transferred to a dumpsite.

She said neither city sanitation trucks nor the public can use the lot, which is closed and locked daily at 3:30 p.m.

An undercover surveillance of after-hours activities at the lot was set up by the LAPD after receiving a tip from the City Ethics Commission.

The complaint alleged that the crimes occurred between Feb. 1 and July 27, 2005. Authorities said trucks using the dumping site after hours paid $80 to $100 each to deposit their load at the site.

Named in the complaint were Michael Crawford, 42 (dob 2-9-1965), of Fontana; Adebola Kannike, 46 (dob 8-3-1960) of Norwalk; Jose Sanchez, 52 (dob 2-19-1955) of La Puente; and Arthur Barton, 59 (dob 8-26-1947), of Los Angeles. Crawford and Kannike worked for the city at the time of the alleged crimes, Sanchez was a former city employee and Barton worked at the lot part time as part of a welfare program.