A West Palm Beach native convicted of illegally transporting hazardous radioactive material from Florida to The Bahamas on at least three flights between August 2003 and November 2004 now faces 25 years in prison in addition to $250,000 in fines.
Harold J. DeGregory Jr., president of the Fort Lauderdale-based H&G Import Export company was transporting Iridium -192 for his shipping business into Freeport, Grand Bahama for the Bahamas Oil Refining Corporation [BORCO], a U.S. court determined this week.
Iridium -192 is used in industrial gauges that inspect welding seams and in medicine to treat certain cancers.
A federal jury found DeGregory guilty of three counts of illegal transportation of the radioactive material and also convicted him on two counts of making a materially false statement to the United States government, the U.S. Attorneys Office confirmed in a statement.
But he was acquitted of three other counts.
According to the evidence, DeGregory flew from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport in a twin-engine Piper Aircraft, Model PA 31-310 transporting a container, commonly referred to as a “pig,” which contained Iridium-192.
On October 28, 2004, DeGregory sub-contracted the air transportation of the container to Amelia Airways, a commercial air carrier, which unbeknownst to the pilot, transported the hazardous and radioactive material from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport, the court heard.
Authorities maintained that DeGregory never submitted the required Hazardous Material Manifests as required by law, neither did he submit documents to Customs Border and Protection reflecting transportation of cargo, omitting any mention of the Iridium-192.
The evidence also showed that on November 2, 2004, DeGregory flew from Freeport to the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and provided a customs declaration form to Customs officials that failed to disclose the hazardous radioactive cargo hidden in the wing compartment of his aircraft.
Upon inspections, Custom and Border Protections Inspectors discovered the contents, officials said.
This case arose when the defendant, President and registered agent of a company known as H&G Import Export of Fort Lauderdale (H&G), agreed with Bahamas Oil Refining Company (BORCO), located in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, to transport Iridium-192 to and from the Bahamas.
BORCO uses the radioactive isotope Iridium-192 in industrial radiography and acquired it for this purpose from a company located in the United States, which would legally ship the hazardous material in interstate commerce to H&G Import Export, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
H&G Import Export was responsible for further transportation to BORCO. Depleted Iridium-192 was to be returned to the United States-based supplier when its useful life was spent.
On each of the five counts of conviction, DeGregory faces a maximum five year prison term and up to $250,000 in fines. The case was tried before United States District court Judge Adalberto Jordan.
Sentencing was scheduled for April 14 in Miami.
The Bahamas endorsed the United Nations accord to control the transboundary movements of hazardous waste designed to better regulate the movement of such materials through this country.
Source: The Bahama Journal
