Former Head of the Federal Superfund Cleanup Program Sentenced

LOS ANGELES -- The former head of the federal Superfund cleanup program was sentenced Monday to 15 months in prison for attempting to swindle a client who hired her consulting company for an environmental project.

Rita Marie Lavelle, an assistant administrator in the Environmental Protection Agency during the Reagan administration, was convicted in September of wire fraud and making false statements to federal agents.

Lavelle, 57, previously served time in prison when she was convicted of perjury for lying to Congress in 1982. She was fired two months after the testimony in a scandal that also forced the resignation of the EPA's chief.

Lavelle had faced up to 35 years in prison and a fine of up to $1.25 million. She was not fined after U.S. District Judge S. James Otero found she did not have the money to pay a penalty.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-brf-superfund-fraud,0,4089053.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

:eyes:

The crime is over 20 years old, the fine was lowered when it was determined the criminal could not pay it, and she got only 15 months when she could have served 30 years?

Whaaaaaat! You call that tough on crime?

Next thing you know she'll be doin' a Willie Horton on someone....

thank goodness our vote is safe from it /sarcasm off

:eyes: