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Pollution lands 3 in 0n New charges filed in another toxic spill case By Hugh wright Friday, September 13, 1996 Record Staff writer Three executives of a now-defunct south Stockton circuit board manufacturing company were hit with a double whammy Thursday — jail sentences on old felonry pollution charges and filing of new felonry charges on a new toxic spill claim. The executives — Arthur Smith Jr. Renato Cejo Tupas Jr. and Celso Tupas — pleaded no contest to felony pollution charges in January involving mis- handling of acid lead and copper used in plating printed circuit boards. Sentencing was postponed in January on the understanding their jail time would depend on how POLLUTERS Navarro said he is cleaning up much of a total of $10,000 each they paid to clean the site at cost as "a good up the site at 916 S. Center SL where they operat- Samaritan,' and he said the ed R.V. Circuits until about two years ago. Continued from Ct Friday spill was not intentional On Thursday, Stockton Municipal Court Judge sent when the spill occurred, and not the fault of his employ- James E. Hammerstone Jr. gave Smith 120 days Bossi said. She said the spill ee• He said Garcia happened to because he paid only $3,600 toward cleanup and equaled about two cubic yards of notice the container was leaking gave 60-day sentences to Renato Tupas, who paid soil, which was neutralized and is because a seam had ruptured and the full $10,000, and to Celso Tupas, who paid all being shipped to a safe disposal he acted quickly to contain it and but about $1,000, according to Deputy District facility. called authorities. Attorney Lisa E Brown. "I'm hoping the district attorney "He was not handling it at the Each was given five years' probation on condition will take into account the fact time," Navarro said. "He saw the they serve the jail time and complete the cleanup. that it was handled appropriate- leaking taking place and he react- later in the day, Brown filed new felony charges h Rossi said. ed immediately. of reckless handling of hazardous waste involving a rhe– i�e CU rCl_ spill of copper acid that leaked from a tank at the site Friday but was quickly neutralized. In addition to Smith and Renato and Celso 7Lpas, the charges also were leveled against a consultant cleaning up the property, AI Navarro of Precious Resources of Stockton, and Navarro's employee, Ezequiel Garcia. Lawyers for Smith and Celso Tapas could not be reached for comment Thursday, but lawyer Victoria Bossi, who represents Renato Tupas, said the site has been 95 percent cleaned up. She said that in the Friday incident, about 50 gallons of acid leaked from a 1,700-gallon container but it was neutralized and absorbed quickly and authorities were notified as required. Neither Smith nor the Ta ' pas brothers were pre- -01C cA r (4 Please see POLLUTERS,C2