FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced the convictions of Anthony L. Simmons, 55, of Baltimore, Orlando D. Pagan, 39, of Elkridge, and Jeremy Scott Thompson, 33, of Baltimore for improperly disposing of hazardous materials in Baltimore City.
In February 2023, the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) responded to two 911 calls for the dumping of hazardous waste. At both sites, emergency personnel discovered multiple drums, bags, and boxes labeled “hazardous chemicals,” including containers marked with the skull and crossbones symbol and others marked “flammable.” At one of the locations, some of the boxes, bags, and drums were open and actively leaking to the ground. BCFD notified the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) Emergency Response Division, which then responded to that location. Through further investigation, a third dump site was located in the 300 block of S. Spring Court.
The Attorney General’s Environmental and Natural Resources Crime Unit (ENRCU) worked with BCFD and MDE on the subsequent investigation. That investigation revealed that Simmons owned and operated a transloading business that leased a large warehouse, previously known as the Apollo Warehouse, in the 4300 block of Eastern Avenue in Baltimore. As alleged in the indictments, Simmons directed one of his employees, Thompson, to dispose of the waste to free up space in the warehouse. Simmons and Thompson paid Pagan to dispose of the controlled hazardous materials. Pagan then dumped the items at the three locations in the city.
The storage, transportation, and disposal of controlled hazardous substances is regulated by MDE through authority granted by Title 7 of the Environment Article and related regulations. “Hazardous substances” are chemicals that have the potential to cause or contribute to an increase in mortality or serious illness or threaten human health or the environment if mismanaged. Controlled hazardous substances must be categorized, packaged, and labelled prior to transport by a licensed hauler before disposal at a licensed facility.
Charges were announced by the Attorney General in October 2024. That press release is available here.
On January 24 and 27, 2025, Pagan and Thompson pled guilty, respectively, to conspiracy to illegally dispose of a controlled hazardous substance before the Honorable Troy K. Hill of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Both men will be sentenced on March 5, 2025.
On January 28, 2025, after a two-day bench trial, the Honorable Troy K. Hill found Simmons guilty of all eleven charges, including four felony counts for directing the illegal disposal of a controlled hazardous waste and illegal disposal of a controlled hazardous waste, as well as counts for conspiracy to illegally dispose of a controlled hazardous substance and solid waste and pollution charges. Simmons will be sentenced on April 18, 2025.
Attorney General Brown thanked his Criminal Division, specifically ENRCU Chief D’Arcy Talley, Chief Investigator Thomas Waugh, Investigator Ronald Weinreich Jr., as well as Senior Assistant Attorney General Kory Lemmert and Assistant Attorney General Eileen Murphy, who prosecuted these cases. Attorney General Brown also thanked State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Ivan Bates for his assistance in this prosecution, as well as the Maryland Department of the Environment and Baltimore City Fire Department for their response to the dumping and cooperation in this prosecution.
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