Dive Brief:
- Two men were sentenced in Rhode Island for conspiring to sell and transport used cooking oil.
- The pair stole oil from restaurants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and sold it to a New Hampshire processing facility that converts the waste into biofuel.
- According to the U.S. Department of Justice, brothers Andrew and Bruce Jeremiah own Jeremiah Motors and Removal Services and Green Energy, and used a company truck to commit crimes that included unlawfully entering businesses and stealing an estimated 200,000 gallons of cooking oil from January 2011 to November 2012.
Dive Insight:
The brothers pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully transport stolen goods that exceeded a value of $5000. The men stole oil three times a week, under the cover of darkness, from restaurants on a list compiled by a co-defendant who also pleaded guilty to numerous crimes.
The duo received a sentence of home confinement and probation by a U.S. District Court judge. Each was also hit with a $3,000 fine, with restitution to be determined later.