Water Tampering Trial is Delayed

The trial has been postponed for an employee at a Raleigh County coal industry laboratory accused of falsifying water samples. The Gazette-Mail says 62-year-old John Brewer will be tried in federal court beginning Aug. 8. He was a manager at Appalachian Laboratories Inc., and is accused of conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act, mail fraud and making false statements. He has pleaded not guilty. Brewer’s trial had been scheduled for July 11, but his attorney John Wooten says more time was needed to prepare. Brewer could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine if convicted of all seven counts in a federal grand jury indictment. Former lab employee John W. Shelton is currently serving one year and nine months in prison for tampering with water samples.