One massive pile of old roofing shingles will not send Lawrence Kutun to prison, but it might still leave someone with a hefty cleanup bill. Kutun was found not guilty in a Franklin County criminal case tied to a huge mound of roofing shingles near Pacific. Prosecutors had accused him of illegally disposing of roughly 11,000 tons of asphalt shingles that built up on land leased to his Midwest Shingle Recycling operation, according to reporting and statements from the landowner. Kutun faced a single felony count of disposition of solid waste based on activity at the Franklin County property. The verdict removes the threat of criminal penalties but leaves unresolved who will pay to haul away the material and what state regulators might still demand.
Judge clears Kutun after bench trial
The Franklin County judge issued the not-guilty finding after a bench trial on May 6. The case stemmed from an indictment filed in 2022 and focused on the shingle pile on the Weber property, as reported by The Missourian.
Regulators still watching the shingle mountain
State environmental regulators inspected the sites and retain authority to issue notices or orders to address any disposal or permit violations. Midwest Shingle Recycling appears in state permit records and has undergone regulatory review by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Recycled asphalt shingles are used in some highway mixes to help cut petroleum use and material costs, a practice outlined by MoDOT.
Landowner still fears being stuck with the tab
Christine Weber, who leased part of the Franklin County tract to Kutun, has told authorities the pile weighed an estimated 11,000 tons and said she worries she could be held liable for getting it removed. Weber and nearby residents raised cleanup concerns during the DNR review and later coverage, including reporting by The Missourian.
What the not-guilty verdict actually settles
An acquittal in criminal court does not automatically end related civil disputes or potential administrative cleanup orders, and state rules still control when processed recycled asphalt shingles can be used as fill or reclaimed for pavement. Missouri law allows processed recycled asphalt shingles to be used for certain fill and reclamation work when they are inspected under departmental requirements, and the department can require testing, separation of contaminated material and remediation as needed, under Missouri Revised Statutes §644.060 and guidance from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
For now, the criminal case is closed, but local officials, the Weber family and state regulators still have to decide who will pay to clear the pile and whether any administrative cleanup orders or civil lawsuits will follow. Court records and statements from Franklin County officials will determine whether any further legal steps are taken.
