Opinion ID: 1433865
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence Against Larry Holden

Text: Finally, Larry Holden argues that the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to support a verdict against him. The standard of review for sufficiency of the evidence is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime. United States v. Jones, 102 F.3d 804, 807 (6th Cir.1996). There are five elements of the crime of falsifying and concealing facts in a matter within the jurisdiction of the EPA: (1) the defendant made a factual representation; (2) the representation is false or fraudulent; (3) the representation is material; (4) the defendant made the representation knowingly and willfully; and (5) the representation pertained to an activity within the jurisdiction of a federal agency. United States v. Steele, 933 F.2d 1313, 1318-19 (6th Cir.1991) (en banc). The representations at issue here were the monthly reports to TDEC pursuant to their obligations under the Clean Water Act, an activity within the jurisdiction of the EPA. The disparities between the TDEC fecal coliform tests and the amounts reported, as well as statements by various witnesses support an inference that these representations were false or fraudulent. And, because the tested amounts were greater than allowed by the permit but the reported amounts were not, these representations were material. The reporting requirements are a primary means of enforcing the Clean Water Act, and false reporting frustrates this purpose. The evidence presented was also sufficient for a rational factfinder to find that Larry Holden willfully made these representations. He supervised the activities at the plant and there is evidence that he was not only on notice to reporting irregularities, but that he was actively involved in the false reporting. Marty Roddy testified that Larry Holden had told him to make the numbers look good, and had instructed him to fill in the empty bench sheets used to make the reports. He also testified that Larry Holden threatened him and told him not to tell authorities about what he had done. Former employee Paul Gutherie testified that he had heard Larry and Mike Holden discussing bogus numbers, and that on a number of occasions he had heard Roddy tell Mike Holden, I'm not going to, you know, go to jail for you or your daddy. If you want to go to jail for your daddy you can. Larry Holden also informed investigators that he was aware the plant was operating at well above capacity and that this was causing untreated sewage to flow into the creek.