Four Business Owners Charged in Multi-Million-Dollar Emissions Defeat Device Smuggling Operation From Canada to Eastern Washington

Yesterday, an indictment was unsealed against four business owners accused of smuggling and selling tens of millions of dollars in emissions defeat devices from Canada to Eastern Washington, violating the Clean Air Act. According to

the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington

, the accused are John and Joshua Owens, owners of Diesel Truck Products Inc. and related businesses, along with Kevin Paul Dodd and Philip John Sweeney, Canadian suppliers of the illegal devices.

The devices in question are engineered to circumvent emission controls mandated for diesel trucks, posing serious health implications. When installed, they allow trucks to bypass regulations on pollutants that can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory conditions. The indictment, dated October 18, alleges that from December 2015 to November 2023, more than $33 million worth of these illicit devices were purchased and sold, contributing to potential harm in communities lying close to major roads and highways.

In an effort to deter detection, the Owens brothers reportedly shuttered their business website and relaunched under an new name after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested information in 2020. Joshua Owens, in an email referenced in the indictment, mentioned plans to wind down the legal entity and start another to avoid scrutiny. Despite warnings, they continued their operations unabated.

An egregious example of their brazen attitude toward the law was exhibited when Joshua Owens responded to a customer’s complaint about the legality of their products: “We have all your info.  You’ll be the guy we serve up on a silver platter to the EPA if it comes down to that.” This case emphasizes the lengths some will go for profit, disregarding the repercussions on community health and the environment, as detailed by the

U.S. Attorney’s Office

.

The investigation was led by the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI, and the IRS, reflecting the gravity of the breach in environmental law. With conspiracy charges carrying a maximum sentence of five years and smuggling and money laundering up to 20 years, the accused could face significant prison time. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Jacob E. Brooks, along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gwendolyn Russell, are handling prosecution, reinforcing the commitment to uphold public health protections.

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