AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg Friday announced that Christine Giese and Bencor, LLC , were convicted of Texas Water Code violations relating to hazardous waste.

The District Attorney’s Environmental Protection Unit prosecuted the case.

Bencor, LLC, is a woman-owned, minority business in the printed circuit board manufacturing and assembly business.

The charges stemmed from a criminal investigation of drums that were found abandoned in a storage unit on Ponds Springs Road in Austin. The drums were found to contain a hazardous waste which had been transported from Christine Giese’s business located in Brenham, Texas to the Pond Springs storage unit.

The defendant Bencor was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, and Giese was placed on a one-year deferred adjudication and ordered to pay $15,138.86 in restitution.

The conviction is a culmination of the collaborative work of the Texas Environmental Task Force. Lehmberg credited the work of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Environmental Crimes Unit, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Environmental Crimes Unit, the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office Environmental Protection Unit.

“The defendants orchestrated the illegal transportation and storage of hazardous waste without regard to the dangers it posed,” said Ivan Vikin, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Texas. “The improper handling and storage of this waste put the unsuspecting public at serious risk. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that those who refuse to comply with the law will be vigorously prosecuted.”

“This is an important case because it involves the illegal transportation and storage of hazardous waste and the impact these toxic materials could have on the citizens of Texas,” said Dan McReynolds, manager of TCEQ’s Environmental Crimes Unit. “The Task Force supported the TCEQ’s Environmental Crimes Unit in the successful investigation and prosecution of the case.”

“The Environmental Protection Unit will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm our natural resources,” said Lehmberg. “This prosecution reflects our commitment to defending the environment.” 

AUSTIN, TEXAS — A Republican state lawmaker known for railing about the perils of government spending pleaded guilty Tuesday to abusing his office, admitting he reimbursed himself with public money for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses his campaign had already covered.

Rep. Joe Driver could be sent to prison for up to 10 years when he’s sentenced Dec. 19 for one third-degree felony charge of abuse of official capacity. However, prosecutors recommended during a court hearing Tuesday that the Dallas-area lawmaker be sentenced to five years’ deferred adjudication, which is a form of probation, and pay a $5,000 fine.

Prosecutors also recommend that Driver be required to undergo any treatment and counseling recommended by the probation department and repay $14,000 to his campaign account. That would bring his total repayment to almost $64,000.

“Misuse of taxpayer money violates the public’s trust,” Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg said. “It is most egregious in these hard economic times. Our public integrity unit will continue to protect the people of Texas from unlawful and unethical conduct by elected officials.” (more…)