Clean Air Act violated

Daniel Black, 57, of Bemus Point, Chautauqua County, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara to 12 months in prison.

Black, who was convicted of failure to conduct an inspection before commencement of asbestos removal and filing a false tax return, was also fined $30,000 and placed on supervised release for two years.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango said that in July 2008, the defendant — president of Blackstone Business Enterprises Inc. — authorized the cleanup of a four-story building in Jamestown and hired four temporary workers from an employment agency to complete the project without inspecting the building for the presence of asbestos.

Black also failed to report $279,217.76 of reportable income he received from BBEI, which resulted in a tax loss to the government of $99,681. Black also failed to report $70,589.89 of BBEI income for 2005 and another $186,390.57 for 2006. The tax loss for those years totaled $91,988.

In addition to the criminal charges, Black has paid more than $400,000 in civil penalties.