Gary May, former superintendent of West Virginia’s Upper Big Branch Mine, where 29 men lost their lives in 2010, was charged on Wednesday with federal conspiracy to defraud safety inspectors in the years leading up to the disaster at the Massey Energy Company site.
From the FBI press release:
An information filed by United States Attorney Booth Goodwin alleges that May conspired to defraud the United States by impeding MSHA in carrying out its lawful functions, a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. The offense charged in the information carries a potential penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment.
“Today’s charge is a significant step in the investigation of events at the Upper Big Branch mine,” said Goodwin. “Our investigation of those events remains ongoing.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General are handling the investigation.
