Asbestos contractors draw record jail terms for environmental crimes

The jail sentences imposed upon the Salvagnos in December of 2004 were the longest terms of imprisonment ever imposed in the United States for criminal violations against the environment up to that time, said Thomas L. Sansonetti, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division and Glenn T. Suddaby, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York.

The defendants, Alex Salvagno, 39, of Loudon, N.Y., and his father, Raul Salvagno, 71, of Ormond Beach, Fla., were sentenced to 25 years and 19 years of imprisonment, respectively, following their convictions in U.S. District Court in Syracuse, N.Y., for crimes related to illegal asbestos removal activities throughout New York State. As part of the sentencing, both defendants were further ordered to forfeit $2 million to the government, and to pay restitution to their victims in the amount of $23 million. The Salvagnos operated their asbestos ab atement company under the name of AAR Contractor, Inc. (AAR).