On June 9, three New York men, a father and two sons, were sentenced in a Syracuse federal court for violating asbestos environmental regulations. On October 28, 2009, the two brothers, Paul and Steven, received a guilty verdict for defrauding the United States, violating the Clean Air Act, and illegally dumping asbestos. Lester, the father, had previously entered a guilty plea before the start of the trial. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that releases tiny fibers that can be inhaled, and ultimately cause a number of adverse health effects including malignant mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer caused solely by asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma can take anywhere from 15-40 years to manifest and victims usually average around a year of life post-diagnosis.

Paul Mancuso, who had been previously convicted of similar asbestos crimes in 2003 and 2004, was running his asbestos abatement company out of his brother Steven’s law office.  This was in clear violation of the 2004 sentence that forbade him from any connection with the asbestos abatement field. The brothers, along with their father, presented false documents to both clients and the government to conceal their infractions concerning the disposal of asbestos. On several of the projects, asbestos was removed in violation of the EPA and OSHA guidelines and then dumped on the properties of unsuspecting owners in Portland, N.Y.

Paul Mancuso received 78 months in prison, 3 years probation and a $20,000 fine. Steven Mancuso was sentenced to 44 months in prison and 3 years probation. Lester Mancuso was sentenced to 36 months in prison and 3 years of probation.

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