Two D.C. inspectors were arrested in a federal sting for allegedly demanding bribes to overlook illegal removal of hazardous waste from an apartment near the Southwest waterfront. Joe L. Parrish, 51, and Gregory A. Scott, 59, both inspectors in the District’s Department of Environment, were charged with soliciting and accepting a bribe. They face up to 15 years if convicted.
Their arrests followed an investigation by the FBI and D.C. Inspector General’s Office. Prosecutors say the men accepted a total of $20,000 in payments.
“We will remain vigilant in our efforts to detect and disrupt public corruption schemes in the District of Columbia,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.
According to charging documents, Scott inspected a demolition project of a 10-story apartment building on the 300 block of P Street SW, on Aug. 16, and told a construction manager that it contained serious violations in removal and transportation of hazardous asbestos material.
On Aug. 23, just minutes after the earthquake hit the District, Scott returned to the building with his supervisor, Parrish, and
demanded payment from a company official, who was also a cooperating witness for the government.
The inspectors detailed the infractions that had been uncovered at the building, and explained that the company was facing $360,000 in fines and violators were facing jail time for breaking criminal environmental laws, according to documents.
The inspectors said they were willing to “help” the management company, court documents said, but they needed to be “compensated” for their efforts.
They’d also said they already had prepared a written report to begin the proceedings for the fines, but they were willing to “burn” it and not inform the DDOE of the infractions, documents said.
The cooperating witness paid each man a bribe of $2,500 using money provided by the FBI. Parrish counted the money, and the men agreed they wouldn’t file their report, documents said.
The transaction was recorded on audio and video tape, prosecutors said.
