Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Killing over 43,000 Fish
Mark Shepherd, a 72-year-old man from Kenton, Ohio, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to violating the Clean Water Act after dumping approximately 7,000 gallons of a substance containing ammonia into the Scioto River.
The hazardous waste, which originated from Shepherd's businesses, Cessna Transport Inc. and A.G. Bradley Inc., flowed 18 miles downstream from the dumping site near Kenton, according to court documents cited by the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported that the waste killed 43,094 fish, including various species such as black bass, flathead catfish, sunfish, and minnows.
U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio emphasized the unacceptable nature of Shepherd's actions, stating that anyone caught illegally discharging harmful substances into the district's waterways will face prosecution.
The area where Shepherd dumped the waste is commonly used for recreational fishing, making the environmental impact even more significant.
Shepherd is scheduled to be sentenced in August for his role in the incident that resulted in the death of over 43,000 fish in the Scioto River, a valuable community resource that flows through more than 230 miles of Ohio.
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