According to a press release issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Albania DeLeon, the owner of Environmental Compliance Training, a Massachusetts asbestos training school, and Jose Francisco Garcia, an employee of the company, were charged on August 22 with one count of making a false statement to the EPA.

As alleged in the indictment, DeLeon owned and operated a certified asbestos training school in Methuen, Massachusetts from approximately 2001 to 2006. Under federal and state law, individuals interested in working in the asbestos abatement industry must complete a 32-hour introductory training course. DeLeon's company offered such courses and issued certificates to participants upon completion.

According to the indictment, the company falsely reported that the school had trained dozens of individuals to conduct asbestos removal work. Many untrained people were issued certificates which allowed them to obtain authorization from the Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety to perform asbestos removal work. The indictment further alleges that many of the individuals were directed to work for Methuen Staffing, a temporary services company also owned by DeLeon which specializes in asbestos removal. If convicted, both DeLeon and Garcia could recieve up to five years in prison followed by three years supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

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