Stickle sentenced to 33 months in jail for dumping oil into sea

Stickle sentenced to 33 months in jail for dumping oil into sea The U.S. Justice Department sentenced the chairman and owner of Sabine Transportation Co. on April 1 to 33 months in prison for ordering the illegal dumping of 440 tons of oil-contaminated grain from one of his ships into the ocean and for obstruction of justice during the federal investigation of the incident.
   U.S. District Court Judge Alan S. Gold in Miami imposed the sentence on Rick Dean Stickle, who was found guilty of the two counts in the indictment after a five week trial in November. In addition to the prison time, Judge Gold imposed a $60,000 criminal fine on Stickle.
   “The oceans cannot be used as dumping grounds,” said Thomas V. Skinner, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acting administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance, in an April 1 statement. “Today’s sentence signals that senior officials will be vigorously prosecuted for their company’s violations.”
   Sabine Transportation, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, previously pleaded guilty to violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and paid a $2 million criminal fine. “Stickle was the chairman of Sabine and was the ultimate owner of all the company’s ships and approximately a dozen related companies,” the Justice Department said.
   Four other former Sabine Transportation executives have been convicted in related prosecutions, including Michael R. Reeve, president; Michael M. Krider, shore-side supervisory marine superintendent; Capt. George K. McKay; and Chief Officer Philip J. Hitchens.