Memphis, TN - Constance Pritchett, 59, has pleaded guilty to the federal offense of depositing of refuse in navigable waters. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, from Jan. 1, 2015 through Dec. 31, 2015, Pritchett, the owner of Pritchett, Inc. d/b/a Crossroads Mobile Service ("Crossroads") had a contract with the United States Postal Service to wash postal service vehicles and postal service locations throughout the Memphis, Tennessee area. The contract required Crossroads to collect all wastewater in accordance with federal law.
An investigation by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General determined that Crossroads employees failed to properly collect wastewater, which then entered the City of Memphis sewer system. The wastewater then entered the Mississippi River which is a navigable waterway of the United States.
"The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General works closely with Postal Service procurement officials to help safeguard the contracting process. When contract irregularities arise, OIG special agents work aggressively to gather the facts and present relevant information to federal prosecutors. In this instance, contractual obligations related to important environmental matters were ignored altogether," said Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce, Contract Fraud Investigations Division.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a full-service federal prosecution office, and we have the ability and intention to charge any violations of federal law, no matter where or how they occur in the Western District of Tennessee. This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to upholding the rule of law, and to pursuing any cases that harm and impact our waterways and environment."
Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2020, before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., where Pritchett faces up to one year imprisonment followed by one year supervised release.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy S. Robbins is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
