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FISCAL YEAR: 2015
1. PRINCIPAL DEFENDANT: Glamis Dunes Storage
S.D.  California  14-CR-1766-WQH
2. DEFENDANT: Michael Jay Mamelli Sr.
S.D.  California  14-CR-1766-WQH
3. DEFENDANT: Michael Mamelli Jr.
S.D.  California  14-CR-1529-L

http://www.justice.gov/usao/cas/press/2014/cas14-1119-Mamelli.html

Glamis Dunes Storage Inc. and its owner, Michael Mamelli, Sr., pleaded guilty to the illegal underground disposal of potentially millions of gallons of untreated human waste and sewage at the Glamis Dunes Storage site for more than four years, in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Glamis Dunes site is located off of Highway 78 in Imperial County, and advertises storage services near the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area.

The defendants admitted that in August of 2007, Glamis Dunes Storage obtained a conditional use permit from Imperial County to install and operate a 20,000 gallon holding tank for RV waste (including human waste and grey water) at the facility. When acquiring the permit, Glamis Dunes Storage represented that the wastewater would be pumped out by a licensed septage hauler and disposed of at the Holtville wastewater treatment plant. According to Glamis Dunes Storage, the holding tank could be expected to dispose of approximately 1,250,000 gallons of RV sewage and grey water per year. The permit specifically prohibited any underground leach system attached to the holding tank.

As the defendants admitted, however, between February 16, 2010, and March 12, 2010, the defendants arranged for a contractor to build a leach field in the rear of the property, install a pump in the RV holding tank, and connect a pipe directly from the RV holding tank out to the leach field. The defendants also arranged for the power connection for the pump to be concealed under gravel near the RV holding tank. Thereafter, they admitted that they repeatedly disposed of the human waste and sewage from the RV holding tank by activating the pump and discharging the sewage through the underground leach field.

The defendants acknowledged that between August and October of 2012, they had a contractor add a new pump and two 2,500 gallon tanks in series to the pipe connecting the RV holding tank to the leach field. The defendants continued to illegally dispose of the sewage in the RV holding tank by discharging it through the underground tanks and leach field without a permit or other authorization from the EPA.



June 20, 2014
Glamis Dunes Storage was charged with violating 42 U.S.C. 300h (2)(b)(2).
CITATION: 42 U.S.C. 300h(2)(b)(2)
October 27, 2014
Mamelli, Jr. was sentenced to pay serve a term of three years' probation.
CITATION: 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(2)
November 19, 2014
Glamis Dunes Storage pled guilty.
April 13, 2015
Glamis Dunes Storage was sentenced to 60 months of probation, ordered to pay a $8,000 fine, and pay $25,212 in restitution.
May 18, 2015
Michael Mamelli, Sr. was sentenced to 12 months' home detention and restitution of $25,211.
CITATION: 42 U.S.C. 300h(2)(b)(2)
STATUTE:
  • Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
  • Title 18 U.S. Criminal Code (TITLE 18)

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