Oifield waste dumper Ben Lupo reports to prison

AYER, Mass.

Ben Lupo has arrived at a Massachusetts medical facility to begin serving his 28-month federal prison term for ordering oilfield waste illegally dumped down a storm drain and into a Mahoning River tributary in Youngstown.

The oily mess necessitated a $3.1 million cleanup lasting more than a month.

Lupo, who pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act, self-reported Tuesday to Federal Medical Center Devens, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokesman confirmed.

U.S. District Court Judge Donald C. Nugent in Cleveland imposed the prison term and a $25,000 fine on Lupo on Aug. 5.

Lupo, 64, of Springfield Township, is an “infirm,” diabetic kidney-transplant and knee-replacement recipient who undergoes daily kidney dialysis, according to testimony from his physician, Dr. Thomas N. Detesco of Boardman, at Lupo’s sentencing hearing.

Lupo’s lawyer, Roger M. Synenberg of Cleveland, urged probation or house arrest for the ailing Lupo, telling the judge a prison term would be “esssentially a death penalty” for his client.

However, Judge Nugent said the Bureau of Prisons told a court official that it has all of the medical facilities needed to treat Lupo.

Read the complete story in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.