The former president of a Massey Energy Co. unit was sentenced
to three and a half years in prison for conspiring to violate mine
safety laws, the Justice Department said.
David C. Hughart, former president of Massey's Green Valley Coal
Co., admitted to conspiring to violate safety standards at various
mines and to hiding violations by warning mine operators when
federal inspectors were on their way, the Justice Department
said.
Mr. Hughart's attorney couldn't be immediately reached for
comment.
The criminal investigation into the actions of Mr. Hughart and
other Massey executives began after a 2010 explosion at Massey's
Upper Big Branch mine killed 29 miners.
Prosecutors have said that safety laws were routinely violated
at Massey to maximize profits. Mr. Hughart, who is 54, wasn't
directly involved in the management of Upper Big Branch, which was
operated by Massey's Performance Coal subsidiary.
Mr. Hughart--the highest-ranking official ever accused of
conspiring to impede federal mine safety officials, according to
the Justice Department--will be subject to an additional three
years of supervised release, the Justice Department said. His
sentence was one year more than federal guidelines advise.
Massey was acquired by Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (ANR) in
2011. A representative for Alpha Natural couldn't be reached for
comment.
Write to Kristin Jones at kristin.jones@wsj.com
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