Clifton Ashley Boynes Sr. was found not guilty Friday of discharging “harmful quantities” of oil into Red Hook harbor nearly four years ago.
Boynes was charged, along with his company, Inter Island Boat Services Inc., with dumping about 20 gallons of oil into the Red Hook harbor in February 1995.
Boynes and Inter Island were found not guilty after a District Court trial, , according to Saturday's Daily News.
Boynes was facing up to $250,000 in fines and five years in prison if he had been found guilty. Inter Island Boat Services could have been fined up to $500,000.
Boynes, described as "teary-eyed," told the Daily News, "Justice was done."
In December Varlack Ventures Inc. pleaded guilty to similar charges and was fined $50,000. Varlack was also required to reimburse the U.S. Coast Guard $1,445 for water tests, implement environmental training for its employees, modernize its oil handling and waste-oil disposal systems and publish an apology in three local newspapers.