Two men from Rankin County appeared in federal court on Thursday after receiving charges for a company’s illegal discharging of industrial waste into the Jackson Sewer System.
According to court documents, the two individuals, Thomas W. Douglas, Jr., 61, and John S. Welch, Sr., 64, had previously been charged with disposing of the waste from their company, Gold Coast Commodities. The men were also charged with conspiracy and making false statements.
Both Douglas and Welch made their initial court appearances on Thursday at the Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse in Jackson after the nine-count federal indictment was unsealed last week. The case is set for trial on November 7, in U.S. District Court in Jackson.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on Count 1 of the indictment, three years in prison on each of Counts 2-6 of the indictment, and five years in prison on each of Counts 7-8 as to Douglas and Count 9 as to Welch.
Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the case.
Gold Coast Commodities has issued the following statement regarding the case:
“Gold Coast takes protecting the environment and surrounding communities very seriously. The charges against Tom Douglas and John Welch arise from a civil dispute with the City of Brandon that was settled and the conduct of a former vendor who has already pled guilty to charges concerning waste handling and disposal.”
Flowood man found guilty of illegally discharging waste into Jackson sewer
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