National Clothesline

In Los Angeles, Behzad Kahoolyzadeh, 47, became the latest employee of AAD Distribution and Dry Cleaning Services, Inc., to pay the price for committing crimes against the environment.

Kahoolyzadeh, who is also known by the aliases Behzad Cohen and David Cohen, plead guilty recently in United States District Court in L.A. to conspiracy, plus two counts of illegal transportation of hazardous waste and two additional counts of illegally storing hazardous waste.

AAD Distribution, a hazardous waste disposal businesses that handled perchloroethylene for drycleaning businesses, as well as flammable solvents for automobile repair shops, had been suspected of cheating approximately 300 cleaners located in the western and midwestern U.S. out of about $80,000 a month for five years.

The company, based in Vernon, was the largest perc handler of the California drycleaning industry prior to its closing down in early 2001. Instead of picking up, treating and disposing of the perc waste properly, however, AAD avoided the cost of incineration and distillation altogether, possibly saving hundreds of dollars per drum.

A plea agreement filed in the case declared that Kahoolyzadeh, back in January of 2000, had negotiated to purchase the business from the two brothers who owned it — Hormoz and Harry Pourat — even though it had been cited on numerous occasions for environmental violations by state and city inspectors.

In an effort to avoid additional violations, Kahoolyzadeh and the Pourat brothers purportedly falsified documentation and ordered AAD employees to transport drums filled with perc waste to sites that were not equipped for the storage of hazardous waste.

“The defendant had the opportunity to help correct the problems at AAD and abide by the law, but instead he joined in on the scheme with his partners to hide the serious violations at AAD from city and state inspectors — but their scheme ultimately failed,” said Thomas Sansonetti, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division.

For his role in the conspiracy, Hormoz Pourat was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.29 million in penalties by the U.S. District Court in L.A. last December.

Prior to that, he was also found guilty in Colorado where Jefferson County District Court Judge Brian Boatright ordered him to pay a $100,000 fine and spend 17 years in prison — the longest jail sentence ever levied for a U.S. environmental crime.

His brother Harry, was even less fortunate. After originally fleeing the country to avoid prosecution, he committed suicide in February of 2003.

Though Kahoolyzadeh plead guilty, he will not find out his sentence until he appears before U.S. Circuit Judge Alex Kozinksi on August 24. The maximum sentence is five years in federal prison for each of the five felony counts. Additionally, he could face fines of up to $250,000 per violation and be ordered to pay restitution for cleanup costs.

U.S. Attorney Debra Yang, who worked with Sansonetti on the case, warned environmental criminals of making the same mistake. “Ignoring our nation’s environmental laws can lead to serious injury and can land the perpetrators in prison,” she said. “My office, through the Environmental Crimes Sections, is dedicated to pursuing these types of cases with an eye toward protecting this country’s land, water and air.”

The California Cleaners Association will begin offering monthly classes at Perfect Cleaners in West Los Angeles.

The first of the West Los Angeles Educational Courses will be May 1, Spotting and Fabrics Part 1, followed by Spotting and Fabrics Part 2 on June 5.

Held on the first Saturday of the month, the classes will be taught by Bob Blackburn and other well-known industry educators. Class topics will mirror the courses currently being taught at CCA’s Northern California Dry Cleaning School and are open to any cleaner or their staff.

Classes are $75 per person for CCA members and $125 per person for non-members. Discounts are offered for companies that send two or more students to a class. Call the CCA office for more information.

Registration forms have been mailed to CCA members. Registration forms are also available on the CCA Web Site, www.calcleaners.com.