J.H. Baxter President to Serve 90 Days in Prison with $1.5M in Fines



EUGENE, Ore. — A federal judge in Oregon sentenced J.H. Baxter & Co. and its president, Georgia Baxter-Krause, on April 22, 2025, for hazardous waste and Clean Air Act violations at their Eugene wood treatment facility. The companies were fined $1.5 million and placed on five years of probation, while Baxter-Krause received a 90-day prison term and one year of supervised release.

J.H. Baxter & Co. Inc. and J.H. Baxter & Co., A California Limited Partnership, pleaded guilty to illegally treating hazardous waste and violating Clean Air Act regulations by emitting hazardous pollutants. Baxter-Krause admitted to making false statements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to conceal the violations.

The companies improperly treated hazardous wastewater from wood preservation by boiling it off in unpermitted retorts, releasing pollutants into the air near residential areas. This occurred on 136 days between January and October 2019. Baxter-Krause provided false information to Oregon inspectors about the practice, despite knowing detailed logs documented the activity.

“This case underscores our commitment to prosecuting environmental violations that endanger public health,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. The EPA and Oregon authorities investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the Environmental Crimes Task Force.

Information from the Department of Justice press release

Michael Weber, known for his extensive coverage of crime news in Lane County, continues to provide valuable updates to the local community. He runs the largest crime watch group in Lane County, Lane County Mugshots Uncensored, which currently has over 86,500 members. Support for local journalism is essential, and donations can be made via Venmo to @Michael-Weber-379 (last four digits of phone number: 0825).

You can also follow me on X: https://x.com/MugshotMike541 

You can also find me on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mugshotmike541.bsky.social

I have a reddit feed at: https://www.reddit.com/r/LaneCountyMugshots/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2 Teens and 1 Adult Arrested in Gruesome Oakridge Double Murder Case

Image
UPDATE 5/29/25 Public Facebook posts from direct family, and these two public GoFundMe accounts indicate that Maleah Lewis, age 17, and Noah Wall, age 21 were the victims in this Oakridge double murder case. GoFundMe for Maleah Lewis GoFundMe for Noah Wall UPDATE - 5/22/25 On May 21st morning, Lane County Sheriff’s detectives enlisted the Eugene Police Department to help find murder suspects last seen southeast of Oakridge days earlier. Using their new LPR (License Plate Reader) technology, EPD investigators swiftly located the suspects' vehicle and deployed resources, leading to the rapid apprehension of multiple suspects—a success credited to EPD's LPR technology. OAKRIDGE, Ore. — Lane County Sheriff’s detectives uncovered a chilling scene southeast of Oakridge on May 20, finding a deceased adult male and a juvenile female, both victims of homicidal violence, following a tip. By the next morning, authorities tracked down suspects in a dramatic operation. Eugene Police SWAT s...
Read more

Man Arrested for Abuse of Corpse After Woman’s Body Found in Cottage Grove

Image
COTTAGE GROVE, OR – Authorities have arrested a man in connection with the discovery of a deceased woman found on the sidewalk in front of 711 Highway 99 in Cottage Grove. The body was discovered at approximately 3:50 a.m. on March 28, 2025, prompting an immediate response from Cottage Grove Police. Upon arrival, officers determined the woman was deceased. Initially, her identity was withheld pending notification of next of kin. Based on information gathered independently, it was determined that the deceased had been staying at a local motel before her body was moved. Mark Michael Detering , (possibly related in some form) was arrested yesterday for allegedly removing her body from the motel after her death and abandoning it on the sidewalk where it was later discovered. This information was also gathered independently and has not been confirmed by law enforcement. Detering has been charged with Abuse of a Corpse in the Second Degree (ORS 166.085), a felony offense. His arrest is unde...
Read more

Victim and Suspect Names Released in Royal Ave. Murder Investigation

Image
Eugene, Or. - At 3 a.m. on September 1, Eugene Police received reports of a loud dispute with shots fired outside a home near Royal Avenue and Ruskin Street. Units arrived to find a woman, Haley Leann Mackin , age 23, deceased with gunshot wounds.  Eugene Police Violent Crimes Unit identified Brandon Daniel Smith , age 24, as the suspect. Mackin and Smith had previously been in a relationship. Mackin was recently granted an order of protection against Smith.  Smith was taken into custody by EPD at 5:05 a.m. at  4th Avenue and Pearl Street . Eugene Police thanks Springfield Police and Lane County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance during the apprehension. Smith had plead guilty to, and been convicted of, assault in the forth degree misdemeanor DV against Mackin earlier this year on 04/10/2024. Case # 24CR11412. Smith was on probation at the time of this incident. Court records show that Smith is currently appealing this conviction.  Smith is lodged at Lane Cou...
Read more