Maryland?s attorney general filed charges against a judge for allegedly illegally dumping construction material into the Patapsco River from his Pasadena waterfront property.
Baltimore City District Judge Askew Gatewood Jr. is charged with 12 counts of unlawfully dumping material into a wetland, construction without a sediment control plan and water pollution.
Attorney General Doug Gansler?s office filed the charges recently in Anne Arundel Circuit Court.
“Having seen the press release … these are merely accusations, and … Mr. Gatewood is innocent,” said John Dougherty, Gatewood?s attorney.
Gatewood, 57, could not be reached for comment.
The charges stem from allegations that in late 2006, Gatewood dumped tons of rebar, concrete, dry wall, bathroom fixtures and other home improvement material ? without a permit ? into the river from his property at 8401 Bay Road.
Anne Arundel officials said Gatewood violated a stop-work order Oct. 13, 2006. Court documents say the dumping occurred between Oct. 1, 2006, and Jan. 20, 2007.
Officials said Gatewood said the debris was used to restore shoreline eroded by storms. County inspectors said no evidence of storm erosion existed. It is unknown where thematerial came from, though Gatewood is connected with a real estate company in Baltimore.
Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold went public with the investigation in November, claiming Gansler?s office was slow to move on the case.
“We don?t move until we are confident that we have enough information to move forward,” Gansler?s spokeswoman Raquel Guillory said.
Gatewood?s daughter is employed by the attorney general?s office, but that did not affect the case, Guillory said.
Gansler?s office and Anne Arundel both filed for penalties against Gatewood, totaling $18,500. If convicted, Gatewood could face prison time and several thousand dollars in fines.
