A New Jersey contractor, Jose Correa, has pleaded guilty to a charge of negligently causing the release of asbestos into the air. This incident, which took place during a construction project at an East Harlem supermarket, puts workers and potentially the public at risk. Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Correa's plea in a statement obtained by the Department of Justice.
Officials have alleged that Correa chose to improperly manage asbestos-containing materials, essentially bypassing federal regulations that mandate the use of professional abatement contractors to carefully handle and dispose of such hazardous substances. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, "Correa instead had construction workers complete this dangerous work—without providing them with basic safety equipment—and put in harm’s way those he had a responsibility to protect."
Notoriously known for its health risks, asbestos exposure can lead to serious diseases, including cancer and lung complications. EPA-CID Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon emphasized the gravity of these dangers in a statement to the U.S. Attorney's Office: "In this case, General Contractor Correa failed to hire trained and certified asbestos abatement professionals. Defendant Correa did the work ‘on the cheap,’ negligently putting workers and others at risk."
Findings from the investigation, led by the EPA-CID and DOI, revealed Correa's failure to provide construction workers with proper protective gear such as masks and protective suits, which are standard requirements during the handling of asbestos materials. The legal proceedings underline the risks not just to construction workers but implicitly to anyone who might have come into contact with the released asbestos fibers. As the U.S. Attorney's Office report mentions, Correa's negligence caused the asbestos material to be released into the ambient air, thereby placing individuals in imminent danger of death and serious bodily injury.
While the plea acknowledges Correa's wrongful actions, the acknowledgment also serves as a sobering reminder of the inherent responsibilities vested in occupational roles that intersect with public health and safety. Correa, aged 66, faces a potential maximum sentence of one year in prison, although the final sentencing will reside with the discretion of the presiding judge. The case’s prosecution is under the direction of Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Rothman of the Office’s Civil Rights Unit.
