Washington Couple Fined and Sentenced for Violating Clean Air Act
Tracy Coiteux, 44, and Sean Coiteux, 50, of La Center, Washington, were sentenced to probation, home confinement, community service, and fines of $10,000 each for conspiracy and violations of the Clean Air Act, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
The Coiteuxs, who co-own Racing Performance Maintenance Northwest (RPM) and RPM Motors and Sales NW, were found guilty of modifying diesel trucks to bypass emissions control systems in an illegal practice known as “deletes” and “tunes.” The investigation into their actions began after a former employee alerted the EPA to the unlawful modifications being made at their business.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, a single truck with these modifications can emit the same amount of pollution as 1,200 trucks with compliant emissions systems. Between January 2018 and January 2021, the Coiteuxs charged nearly $2,000 per truck for these illegal modifications, which involved altering truck software to disable emissions controls.
Court records indicate that RPM Motors and Sales also included emissions deletions as part of truck sales. Over the course of three years, the Coiteuxs reportedly earned over $500,000 from these illegal modifications, funding their upscale lifestyle, including a 10-acre property with a saltwater pool and a garage filled with exotic cars.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that the defendants’ actions contributed significantly to air pollution, which is linked to serious health conditions such as heart and lung diseases, as well as cancer. Lance Ehrig, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in Washington, stated, “The Coiteuxs intentionally violated the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions control equipment on over 300 diesel trucks, endangering public health and the environment.”
The sentencing sends a strong message about the importance of enforcing environmental laws and holding violators accountable.
