A Houston man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for illegally dumping hazardous chemicals, including laboratory grade cyanide, at multiple sites in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
Daniel Winard, 52, formerly of New Mexico and now residing in Texas, inherited property from a retired chemist. Upon taking possession of the property, he discovered various hazardous substances had been left behind. According to court records and evidence presented at his sentencing hearing, Winard contacted local officials about lawful disposal options but found them costly.
Instead of following legal procedures, Winard disposed of the chemicals unlawfully at nine locations around Albuquerque without obtaining permits from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the State of New Mexico. The dumped materials included cyanide, yellow phosphorus, calcium carbide, and thionyl chloride. Some of these substances are known to react dangerously with water or release toxic gases.
Authorities recovered the chemicals after they were discovered in August 2018. Cleanup efforts by the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County involved coordination with a private contractor and resulted in costs totaling nearly $200,000. The EPA subsequently took custody of the waste for analysis.
Winard was aware that disposing of these chemicals posed significant risks to public safety and the environment. He acknowledged that first responders could be seriously harmed if they encountered some of these substances unexpectedly.
“There is no excuse for putting lives, property, and the environment at risk by dumping hazardous chemicals,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “We will not tolerate reckless disregard for our communities' safety. Those who endanger others for their own convenience can expect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
"Today’s sentencing demonstrates EPA’s commitment to safeguarding the public by investigating crimes and prosecuting people who knowingly endanger lives,” said Kim Bahney, EPA Special Agent in Charge. “Our investigation uncovered that the defendant deliberately discarded dangerous and reactive hazardous wastes in multiple areas, intending to ‘surprise’ first responders.”
Winard pleaded guilty on April 25, 2022 to one count of knowing endangerment related to storage and disposal without a permit. Following his release from prison he will serve three years on supervised release and must pay restitution totaling $9,527.55.
The case was investigated by EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division (Southwest Area Branch). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean J. Sullivan prosecuted.
