Tessa M. Gorman, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington
A Columbia, Indiana man has been sentenced to four months in prison and fined $25,000 for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. Jonathan Achtemeier, 44, admitted guilt in November 2024 for tampering with pollution control software on diesel trucks between 2019 and 2022. The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court in Tacoma.
Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced the sentence and emphasized the environmental damage caused by Achtemeier's actions. "From the comfort of his home, this defendant caused environmental damage across the country," Miller stated, noting that Achtemeier's motivation was financial gain at the expense of clean air and environmental health.
Achtemeier operated a business under names such as Voided Warranty Tuning (VWT) or Optimized Ag. He advertised his services online and tampered with monitoring devices remotely on diesel trucks nationwide. This allowed trucks to bypass pollution controls, emitting pollutants at levels 30 to 1,200 times higher than legally configured vehicles.
U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright described the offense as showing a "lack of respect for the law" and noted its serious harm during sentencing.
Records show that Achtemeier collaborated with mechanics and truck fleet operators to manipulate software designed to monitor emissions control systems on diesel trucks—a process known as "tuning." He charged up to $4,500 per truck for this service.
Prosecutors had requested an 18-month prison sentence and a $100,000 fine, highlighting how Achtemeier built a business around illegal tuning through social media platforms like Facebook groups focused on diesel trucks.
The Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID) conducted the investigation into Achtemeier's activities. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Watts Staniar and Dane Westermeyer, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Perrin from the EPA.
