Investigations

On July 20, 2018, Daniel P. Denisiu was arraigned on five felony counts pertaining to the illegal transportation, handling, and storage of hazardous waste. He was charged, via criminal complaint, in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles on June 15.

 

On August 26, 2015, Denisiu used his pickup truck to take waste materials from a science laboratory storage room at a high school in the Covina Valley Unified School District to his apartment in Pasadena, California. He did not have a manifest identifying the materials he collected, properly placard his vehicle, or possess equipment to store the materials safely. Furthermore, he left the hazmat in the bed of his truck in a residential parking structure while he attended a family event. When Denisiu returned home, he placed glass containers—which contained residue from the hazmat he collected—in recycle bins in a nearby neighborhood.

 

The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) tested one of the bottles and determined that it contained barium hydroxide—a federally regulated hazardous waste material. Later tests of the bed of Denisiu’s truck revealed several hazardous materials.

DOT-OIG is conducting the investigation with the LACFD.

 

Note: Indictments, Informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.