Investigations

On February 12, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania sentenced Brian Mellott of Maryland to 6 months of imprisonment, 1 year of supervised release, and 50 hours of community service. In August 2019, Mellott pleaded guilty to conspiring to impede the lawful functions of DOT and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and violating the Clean Air Act. He admitted to impeding FMCSA’s ability to implement and enforce Pennsylvania’s annual inspection standards for commercial motor vehicles. Mellott’s employer, Rockwater Energy Solution, allegedly installed emissions defeat devices in its commercial motor vehicles, which bypassed State inspections regulations and likely released excessive particulates into the air.

 

DOT-OIG and EPA–Criminal Investigation Division conducted this investigation with substantial assistance from FMSCA and the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Patrol and Commercial Vehicle Safety Division.