U.S. Attorney Damian Williams | U.S. Department of Justice
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Jose Correa, a contractor from New Jersey, has pled guilty to negligently releasing asbestos into the air. This act endangered others and violated the Clean Air Act. The plea was entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, with U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan assigned to oversee the case.
Williams stated: "As he admitted in court today, Jose Correa decided to cut corners by failing to hire an asbestos abatement contractor to safely remove floor tiles and mastic from a supermarket in East Harlem." He emphasized the commitment of his office to protect individuals from environmental crimes.
Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division in New York, commented on the dangers of asbestos exposure: "In this case, General Contractor Correa failed to hire trained and certified asbestos abatement professionals."
Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation, highlighted the risks associated with improper asbestos handling: "Today, the general contractor responsible for an illegal abatement at a Harlem supermarket pleads guilty to a felony."
The Information filed in Manhattan federal court revealed that between November 2022 and December 2022, Correa worked as a general contractor at a supermarket in East Harlem. He removed asbestos-containing materials without hiring professionals or providing protective gear for his workers.
Correa faces up to one year in prison for his actions. The sentence will be determined by a judge.
Williams praised both EPA-CID and DOI for their investigative work on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Rothman is leading the prosecution under the Office’s Civil Rights Unit.
