LI Contractor Accused Of Violating Toxic Substances Control Act: Feds

FREEPORT, NY — A Queens contractor is on trial in federal court on allegations that his business performed lead-based paint remediation at a Freeport home without being certified to do so, prosecutors said.

Rickey Lynch, 60, of Arverne, was the first person charged with violating the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 since the act was strengthened seven years ago to include harsher penalties for over actions that result in death or serious harm, according to Newsday.

Lynch caused dangerous levels of lead dust to spread throughout the home because he did not follow workplace regulations, prosecutors alleged in court documents obtained by Patch.

"Instead of making it safer, he made it even more dangerous," Assistant U.S. Attorney James Simmons said during his opening statement, according to Newsday.

If convicted, Lynch faces up to 15 years in prison. He was also charged with making false statements, and aggravated identity theft.

Lynch also was accused of performing lead-based paint remediation at a Roslyn day care center while lacking certification, Newsday reported.

Lynch was the proprietor of Bright Lights Supreme Cleaning Incorporated, a Long Island-based company that advertised cleaning services and lead-based paint activities.

Howard Greenberg, the defense attorney, told jurors that Lynch is a "salt of the earth" worker who was unfairly targeted by federal prosecutors after he complained to the EPA that the Nassau County Department of Health did not inspect his finished work, Newsday reported.

Lynch attended a lead abatement course in September 2018 and obtained an interim lead abatement supervisor certification, which expired around March 2019, the indictment said. Federal regulations demand lead-based paint abatement work is done by people certified by the EPA.

Christopher and Bunlie Voetglen in 2020 hired Lynch's company, Bright Lights Supreme Cleaning, to remediate lead-based paint, Newsday reported.

High levels of lead were found in their 2-year-old son's blood in a routine physical, according to the indictment. Nassau County Health Department officials inspected the home and required lead-paint remediation, authorities said.

Lynch did not provide timely notice to the EPA of his lead-based paint abatement work before starting the job at the Freeport home, the indictment said. He was also accused of not developing an occupant protection plan describing the measures being taken to protect the family from harmful exposure to the lead-based paint, authorities said. Prosecutors said Lynch did the work himself without being certified and did not use the required HEPA filtration system to prevent the spread of toxic dust in the home.

The violations, authorities said, placed the home's residents in "imminent danger of death and serious bodily injury."