Search Results for: Smith
Japanese Hino Motors Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Auto Parts Into U.S.
Hino Motors Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Fraud Charges
**Detroit, MI** – U.S. District Court Judge Mark A. Goldsmith has accepted Hino Motors, Ltd.’s guilty plea to a one-count criminal charge for engaging in a long-term conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and consumers and illegally smuggling goods. The court imposed a $521.76 million criminal fine and a five-year probation period, including a prohibition on importing diesel engines into the United States. A $1.087 billion forfeiture money judgment was also issued against Hino.
Court records reveal that between 2010 and 2019, engineers at Hino Motors submitted falsified applications for engine certification approvals, violating the Clean Air Act. The engineers manipulated emissions test data and submitted fraudulent information, resulting in false fuel consumption values. Over 105,000 non-compliant engines were imported and sold between 2010 and 2022, primarily for heavy-duty trucks.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson expressed that Hino’s actions gave it an unfair advantage and generated over $1 billion in proceeds. The Justice Department is committed to enforcing emissions standards and addressing fraud. Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck emphasized the importance of
Two Dorchester County Men Arrested for Arson
Two Dorchester County Men Arrested for Arson
**DORCHESTER COUNTY, MD -** Deputy State Fire Marshals have arrested two Dorchester County men, Paul Ellwood (43) and Edwin Krell (46), for arson in connection with a fire set in early March. The fire occurred in a duck blind at Bluff Point in Hoopersville.
An investigation into the incident determined that the fire was intentionally set, causing $2,000 in damages to the duck blind. The Hoopers Island Volunteer Fire Company responded with five firefighters and controlled the fire in 32 minutes. Before their arrival, the fire had spread to the surrounding marshland.
Ellwood and Krell were identified as suspects, and arrest warrants were issued once sufficient probable cause was established. They were arrested without incident while driving on Smithville Road in Taylor’s Island. The suspects appeared virtually before a court commissioner at the Dorchester County Detention Center and were released on a $5,000 bond.
Both men face charges of second-degree arson, conspiracy to commit second-degree arson, and first and second-degree malicious burning, along with reckless endangerment. If convicted, they could face a maximum penalty of up to 44 years in prison
