LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles man has been sentenced to five years in prison for illegally storing a huge amount of toxic chemicals and explosive hazardous waste, including unstable gunpowder, in his home.
Federal prosecutors say Monday's sentence of 64-year-old Edward Wyman was the stiffest penalty issued by a federal judge in California relating to a hazardous waste case. U.S. District Court Judge George King also ordered Wyman to pay $800,000 to the Environmental Protection Agency for costs associated with a 47-day clean-up.
Wyman was convicted in April of violating the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Authorities found a cache of decades-old gunpowder and other hazardous waste in June 2009 when a fire broke out at Wyman's house. Exploding ammunition forced firefighters to wear bulletproof vests while battling the fire.
