A Hillsboro diesel vehicle repair shop and its owner are accused of disabling pollution controls on more than 200 customers’ cars and trucks.
Federal prosecutors allege that between 2018 and 2020, Pure Addiction Diesel Performance modified about 245 diesel vehicles for customers in violation of the Clean Air Act.
The Clean Air Act directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue regulations limiting the amount of pollutants that motor vehicles, including diesel vehicles, can emit.
The company charged customers about $2,000 for the parts and labor to remove emissions control systems and render inaccurate the engine monitoring-devices, according to a criminal information filed in federal court.
Last week, attorney Scott Leonard entered a not guilty plea on behalf of the company owner, Travis Turner, who is charged with being an accessory “after the fact” to Clean Air Act tampering.
Turner remains out of custody but is expected to change his plea later this month, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Bockelman told a magistrate judge.
The company collected more than $400,000 for performing unlawful modifications on the 245 diesel vehicles, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan W. Bounds wrote in the criminal information.
The modifications are often marketed to diesel vehicle owners to improve horsepower, torque or fuel efficiency of the diesel engines, according to the complaint.
As the owner, Turner provided inaccurate or incomplete information about the company’s activity in invoices “that falsely” indicated his company had only sold parts, when, in fact, it had performed the work that altered the emissions controls, the complaint said.
A conviction for violating the Clean Air Act carries a potential penalty of up to two years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
— Maxine Bernstein
Email mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212
Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian
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