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Former ECUA Recycling Manager Pleads Guilty To Racketeering In Half Million Dollar Scheme
December 1, 2022
A former recycling manager at the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) pleaded guilty Wednesday to racketeering in connection with selling a half million dollars worth of recyclables through a shell company he owned.
In September of 2018, Jarrell Lamar Reynolds, now 45, was hired by ECUA to manage the recycling operation at the Perdido Landfill.
“He was hired, according to ECUA management, because of his experience in the industry and his personal contacts with potential new vendors and customers,” an arrest report states. “ECUA believed that hiring Reynolds would increase the efficiency of the the recycling operation and increase their revenues through the introduction of new customers for their recyclable material.”
On December 5, 2018, Reynolds created a shell company called JAT Recycling in Georgia, and he was the lone officer of the company. He used the shell company to acquire the property from ECUA and sell the recyclables. Once sold to third parties, Reynolds maintained control of about $510,000 in profits and transferred them to multiple accounts he controlled, according to court documents.
The profits were then used by Reynolds to purchase cars, investment properties, and other personal expenses.
Additional charges of racketeering as well as organized fraud, money laundering, and extortion were dropped in exchange for Reynolds’ guilty plea.
Pictured top: The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). File photo.
Comments
7 Responses to “Former ECUA Recycling Manager Pleads Guilty To Racketeering In Half Million Dollar Scheme”
Please explain why it is so stupid to drop the other charges and enter a plea deal? The whole concept is the willingness to compromise to avoid a more costly trial. So one would rather ECUA pay more out in attorney’s fees and staff time and cost the ratepayers more money? Don’t see in the story where he is getting away with 10 years and may be out in 2-5. Is that an assumption and not fact?
What does it matter who is running the scales now? This thug was caught after being employed for 4 1/2 months and very likely running his scam for less than that! What length of time to catch this guy is palatable to you?
Also, you can’t find the exact number of accounts in the annual budget because that changes daily with people moving in and out of the service area. But, if you must know, “The Authority provides reliable high‐quality potable water to over 98,000 customers. The wastewater system serves over 77,000 customers” – Fy2022 ECUA Operating Budget Report on their website.
So stupid to drop all the charges. Who was or is still running the scales? This thug is a career criminal and getting away with what 10 years which will be 2 to 5 years?
Everyone in the county who has an account with ECUA pays $1.00 each month for XFR station EXP until 2043. CAP funding fee $1.50, the landfill $5.06. Commercial owners pay even more a month. No where in the ECUA Annual Budget can you find exactly how many paying accounts ECUA has. I do hope that this thug was not receiving a paycheck & all insurance and retirment was cancelled.
The man definitely had a good business head.I bet he could’ve been very successful the legitimate way. But chose the low road.
Response to Susie
As stated in the article, Mr. Reynolds worked at the ECUA from September 2018 to January 2019 (about 4 1/2 months). I’d say top management was on it, caught on to what was happening, and called law enforcement in pretty quickly.
So he recycled the MONEY.
That doesn’t say much about ECUA’s top management for not noticing the loss for years past. Those people should be kicked to the curb (little pun there), as well!
THAT IS WHY ECUA RAISED THE RATE