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Extrudex charged in alleged role in wrongful-death cover-up
NORTH JACKSON
Extrudex Aluminum Inc. is accused by federal prosecutors of covering up an alleged “conspiracy” by the company’s Mahoning Avenue plant managers to obstruct an investigation into a 2016 wrongful death at the plant.
Two former Extrudex Aluminum executives – Brian K. Carder, 62, of Stow, who was the Mahoning Avenue plant’s general manager at the time, and Paul Love, 57, of Lake Milton, who was its safety coordinator – were federally indicted in October, accused of covering up circumstances in the death of one worker caused by unsafe machinery.
“Extrudex, through its employees, concealed felony obstruction of justice offenses from Extrudex management in Canada and further failed to inform law enforcement of the commission of those offenses,” reads a Thursday release from the office of U.S. Northern District Attorney Justin Herdman.
The October indictment alleges Carder and Love made false statements to investigators from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, withheld an email regarding the machinery’s safety and persuaded other workers to recant their previous email warnings about the machinery’s safety, “including by suggesting their jobs might be in jeopardy.”
This charge, called a bill of information, implies the case evidence has not yet been presented to a grand jury. The charge allows a defendant – in this case, Extrudex Aluminum as a corporate entity – to mount a defense.
Mike Tobin, U.S. District Attorney spokesman, said the company could face a financial penalty if found guilty of the charges.
Company attorney Chris Georgalis declined to comment on the case Thursday. He said in October, after Carder’s and Love’s indictments, that “the company has cooperated with the investigation and continues to cooperate with the investigation.”