ATLANTA - A licensed vehicle emissions inspector was sentenced today to serve 2 months in prison for his role in providing fraudulent passing emissions scores for in excess of 200 vehicles, announced Anne M. Tompkins, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. also sentenced Pedro Salmeron, 37, of Charlotte, to 2 years of supervised release, the 1st 4 months of which he must spend under home confinement. Salmeron was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and to a pay a $5,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Tompkins is joined in making today's announcement by Special Agent in Charge Maureen O'Mara of the E.P.A., Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID), Atlanta Area Office; Greg McLeod, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NC SBI); and Steven M. Watkins, Director of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles License and Theft Bureau (NC DMV L&T).
According to court records and today's sentencing hearing, Salmeron was employed as a technician for "Carolina Inspections" - also known as "Carolinas Auto Inspection" - located in Charlotte, and was also a vehicle emissions inspector licensed by the state of North Carolina. As a state-licensed emissions inspector, Salmeron was responsible for ensuring the emissions of vehicles he tested met federally mandated emissions requirements. Court records show that from February 2010 through January 2011, Salmeron conducted 201 illegal vehicle emissions inspection and falsely passed vehicles that would have failed emissions inspection. Court records indicate that Salmeron performed these fraudulent tests by entering the information of the vehicle being tested into the state database at Carolinas Auto Inspection, but then connecting the testing equipment to "surrogate" vehicles at the repair shop. The illegal practice of utilizing substitute vehicles for emissions testing is referred to in the industry as "clean scanning." Salmeron pleaded guilty in August 2012 to one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act by conducting false vehicle emissions inspections.
The Clean Air Act requires vehicle emission inspections in geographic regions that exceed national ambient air quality standards. According to the EPA, the Charlotte metropolitan area exceeds the 8-hour standard set for Ozone, a potent irritant that can cause lung damage and other types of respiratory problems.
Salmeron was ordered to self-report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
Salmeron is the latest defendant to be sentenced resulting from an investigation of Charlotte-area vehicle emissions inspectors involved in conducing "clean scans." The multi-agency investigation has netted 14 prosecutions, with defendants serving sentences ranging from 18 months in prison to probation, in addition to home confinement, community service and monetary fines:
1. Jassim Juburi: sentenced to 18 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $15,000 fine. (3:12-cr-84).
2. Jose Manuel Cabrera: sentenced to one year and one day in prison, 3 years of supervised release that includes 100 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine. (3:12-cr-240).
3. Jack Haney: sentenced to 6 months in prison, one year of supervised release that includes six months of home confinement, 50 hours community service, and a $10,000 fine. (3:11-cr-342).
4. Ronald Kinard: sentenced to 6 months in prison, one year of supervised release that includes six months of home detention, and a $10,000 fine. (3:11-cr-340).
5. Mohammed Hafeez Awan: sentenced to 6 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release that includes 6 months of home detention, 50 hours of community service, and a $1,000 fine. (3:12-cr-79).
6. Michel Jule Fernald: sentenced to 5 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release that includes 5 months of home confinement, and a $1,000 fine. (3:12-cr-90).
7. Chucky Cheung: sentenced to 5 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release that includes five months of home detention. (3:11-cr-160).
8. Tanveer Anwar: sentenced to 4 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release that includes 4 months of home confinement and 50 hours of community service. (3:11-cr-241).
9. Erick Chicas: sentenced to 3 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release that includes 3 months of home confinement, 50 hours of community service, and a $7,500 fine. (3:11-cr-240).
10. Alexander Edwards: sentenced to 60 days in prison, 4 months of home while serving 2 years of supervised release, and a $1,000 fine. (3:11-cr-102).
11. Thanh Long Quoc Nguyen: sentenced to 2 months of home confinement while serving 2 years of probation, 50 hours of community service, and a $2,000 fine. (3:11-cr-175).
12. Jin Sung Chang: sentenced to 2 years of probation to include 6 months of home detention, and a $400 special assessment. (3:11-cr-163).
13. Stephen Dickinson: sentenced to 2 years of probation and a $1,000 fine. (3:11-cr-101).
U.S. Attorney Tompkins thanked the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, North Carolina SBI's Diversion and Environmental Crimes Unit, and North Carolina DMV License and Theft Bureau, with assistance from the North Carolina Division of Air Quality, Mobile Sources Compliance Branch, for their investigation leading to the 14 prosecutions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Kaufman of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte prosecuted the cases.
U.S. v. Salmeron, 3:12-cr-261.
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