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Press Release

Greene County Man Sentenced to Time-Served for Damaging Energy Facility

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH - A resident of Greene County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to time served (12 months) on his conviction of damaging of an energy facility, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence yesterday on Heath A. Rankin, 34, of Carmichaels, Pa.

According to the information presented to the court, Rankin along with a previously prosecuted defendant, Brian Harbarger, damaged the Burchianti Pad, a pad of five natural gas wells operated by Chevron North America Exploitation and Production Company, a division of Chevron USA, Inc. Rankin and Harbarger cut and stole copper grounding wire from the production tanks and impoundment area resulting in the pad being shut in until all of the damage was repaired. Chevron’s cost to repair the damage was $18,624.67. The court ordered Rankin and Harbarger to pay restitution in that amount.

Assistant United States Attorney Nelson P. Cohen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police for the successful investigation leading to the prosecution of Heath A. Rankin.

Updated February 17, 2016

Topic
Environment