Three individuals were convicted in Baltimore City for illegally disposing of hazardous materials, following an investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, Baltimore City Fire Department, and Maryland Department of the Environment, with sentencing scheduled for March and April 2025.
Per the news release: “Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced the convictions of Anthony L. Simmons, 55, of Baltimore, Orlando D. Pagan, 39, of Elkridge, and Jeremy Scott Thompson, 33, of Baltimore for improperly disposing of hazardous materials in Baltimore City.
In February 2023, the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) responded to two 911 calls reporting the dumping of hazardous waste. At both sites, emergency personnel discovered multiple drums, bags, and boxes labeled “hazardous chemicals”, including containers marked with the skull and crossbones symbol and others labeled “flammable.” At one location, some of the containers were open and actively leaking onto the ground. BCFD notified the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Emergency Response Division, which responded to the scene. Through further investigation, a third dump site was located in the 300 block of S. Spring Court.
The Attorney General’s Environmental and Natural Resources Crime Unit (ENRCU) worked with BCFD and MDE on the investigation. The findings revealed that Simmons owned and operated a transloading business that leased a large warehouse, previously known as the Apollo Warehouse, in the 4300 block of Eastern Avenue in Baltimore. According to the indictments, Simmons directed his employee, Thompson, to dispose of the waste to free up space in the warehouse. Simmons and Thompson then paid Pagan to dump the controlled hazardous materials at various locations in the city.
The storage, transportation, and disposal of controlled hazardous substances are regulated by MDE under Title 7 of the Environment Article and related regulations. These substances are chemicals that pose risks to human health and the environment if mismanaged. Proper disposal requires hazardous materials to be categorized, packaged, labeled, and transported by a licensed hauler to a licensed facility.
Charges were initially announced in October 2024, with the press release available here.
On January 24 and 27, 2025, Pagan and Thompson pled guilty to conspiracy to illegally dispose of a controlled hazardous substance before Judge Troy K. Hill in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Both men will be sentenced on March 5, 2025.
On January 28, 2025, after a two-day bench trial, Judge Troy K. Hill found Simmons guilty on all eleven charges, including four felony counts for directing and illegally disposing of controlled hazardous waste, as well as conspiracy and pollution-related charges. Simmons will be sentenced on April 18, 2025.
Attorney General Brown thanked the Criminal Division, specifically ENRCU Chief D’Arcy Talley, Chief Investigator Thomas Waugh, Investigator Ronald Weinreich Jr., Senior Assistant Attorney General Kory Lemmert, and Assistant Attorney General Eileen Murphy, for prosecuting the case. He also acknowledged Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Baltimore City Fire Department for their response and cooperation in the prosecution.”