Skip to Content
Featured

Update: Owners of Metal Scrapyard Next To Jordan High School in Watts Charged With 22 Felonies

S&W Atlas Iron and Metal Corp. and its owners, Gary and Matthew Weisenberg, were charged with 21 felony counts of knowingly disposing hazardous waste at a site with no permit and one felony count of deposit of hazardous waste, prosecutors said.

Photo via: Coalition for Healthy Families

Students at Jordan High school play next as the metal company next door moves piles of scrap metal.

On June 22, 2023 this story was updated with a statement from an attorney representing the Atlas Iron and Metal Corporation.

A metal salvage and recycling yard adjacent to Jordan High School in Watts was charged with 24 criminal counts for alleged illegal disposal of hazardous waste, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

S&W Atlas Iron and Metal Corp. and its owners, Gary and Matthew Weisenberg, were charged with 21 felony counts of knowingly disposing hazardous waste at a site with no permit and one felony count of deposit of hazardous waste, prosecutors said. They were also charged with single misdemeanor counts of public nuisance and failure to maintain or operate a facility to minimize the possibility of a fire.

Arraignment for the defendants was set for Monday in downtown Los Angeles.

Benjamin Gluck, an attorney for Atlas and the Weisenbergs, said in a statement they were "disappointed to see the charges."

"Atlas is actively working with the many public agencies involved and is actually moving close to a global resolution," Gluck said. "The district attorney declined to engage with us and chose instead to file charges. We have not learned the details of those charges yet, but we will defend this case vigorously."

The charges are the latest legal entanglement for the company, which was sued in 2020 by the Los Angeles Unified School District. The federal lawsuit alleges hazardous substances, waste and fumes from the salvage yard were endangering students and faculty at Jordan High. The suit even contended that a pair of explosions in 2002 sent metal shrapnel raining onto the campus.

According to the District Attorney's Office, soil samples taken at the high school adjacent to the Atlas facility "showed excessive concentrations of lead and zinc," while samples taken at Atlas found excessive concentrations of seven metals.

Prosecutors also claim metal debris believed to have originated from the Atlas facility was found on the school grounds.

"The charging of Atlas Metal for their environmental crimes is a step toward justice for the children of Jordan High School and the community of Watts," District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.

"Children deserve a safe and healthy environment to learn and grow in, and we must hold companies accountable for their actions that put our children's health at risk. This serves as a reminder that we must prioritize the well-being of our communities and take action against those who prioritize profits over people."

LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the filing of charges is an important step in efforts to address "dangerous environmental health and safety impacts to our schools that result from incompatible land uses."

He said such concerns are exacerbated "in underserved communities who are often confronted by adverse industrial impacts that cause air, water and land pollution."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

The Evil Cooks Open Their First Brick-And-Mortar In ‘Hell Sereno’

After being a pop-up taquería since 2018, Evil Cooks' now has a brick and mortar business a few blocks away from their original front yard location, featuring their infamous taco creations like their 'McSatan' and 'Rock Lobster.'

November 13, 2024

Nine L.A. Restaurants That Will Do Thanksgiving For You, From Pupusas to ‘Chinese Turkey’

From 12-hour-roasted brisket in East L.A. to a Thai feast in Atwater and Chinatown’s famous Chinese Turkey, have a stress-free Thanksgiving and buy your dinner this season at these L.A. restaurants.

November 12, 2024

This Weekend: Thai-Salvadoran Sandwiches, Asado Negro Tacos, and New Westside Korean

Plus wild caught Maine lobster rolls, Guatemalan garnachas on a lake, and a favorite for tacos al vapor.

November 8, 2024

L.A.’s First Cochinita Pibil is Legendary and Still Amazing, 52 Years Later

“Cochinita is my fountain of youth,” jokes Marc Burgos, the second-generation owner of this pioneering panaderia. At 50 years old, he is younger than his father’s pioneering Yucatán bakery, the first in L.A. to offer cochinita pibil tacos. 

November 7, 2024

The 24 Best Tacos Al Pastor, Adobada, and Árabes In Los Angeles

Is al pastor L.A.'s official taco? Judging by the sheer amount of crispy-edged trompos dotted around every single corner of this beautiful city, we can certainly make that argument. Here is our vetted list that took us nearly two decades to compile. ¡Provecho!

November 7, 2024
See all posts