Former Granby wastewater plant operator pleads not guilty

Charles Ranslow, former Granby wastewater treatment plant operator, waived the reading of his indicment today in federal court in Springfield and pleaded not guilty. He remains free on bond.

Ranslow was indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this month for submitting false reports in violation of the Clean Water Act.

Ranslow, 48,Neosho, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield.

The indictment alleges that Ranslow submitted false information in state reports that are required under the Clean Water Act.

According to the indictment, Ranslow conducted wastewater sampling at the facility and submitted Wastewater Discharge Monitoring Reports to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources from June 2013 through March 2014. The indictment charges Ranslow with two counts of making false and fraudulent statements in those reports. Ranslow allegedly submitted monitoring reports that contained false data, for example, with regard to the levels of ammonia.

The indictment also charges Ranslow with one count of making false and fraudulent statements in a Domestic Sludge Report that was submitted to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Ranslow allegedly represented sludge monitoring results to be indicative of the Granby Wastewater Treatment Facility sludge, which data he knew to be false.