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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Falsifying a Pipeline Document
On August 24, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania sentenced Joshua Springer to 36 months' probation, 100 hours' community service, and a $100 special assessment. In June 2020, Springer pled guilty to making and causing the making of a false document in connection to an interstate pipeline project.
Springer was a level II radiographic technician. His responsibilities included testing pipeline welds using x-rays, developing the x-ray exposures, interpreting test results, as well as certifying the quality and integrity of the welds. Springer also signed reader sheets, which record the test results and are required by Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regulations. The investigation revealed that from May 2017 until June 2018, Springer made 77 reader sheets which falsely stated that pipeline welds had been x-rayed and the resulting exposures were acceptable. In fact, he had not properly x-rayed the welds, and the exposures were neither acceptable nor interpreted correctly.
DOT-OIG and the FBI conducted this investigation with substantial assistance from PHMSA.