Federal prosecutors have indicted a Peoria man for illegally importing pool chemicals in an apparent effort to avoid paying tariffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Brian Morris, 49, of Peoria, is scheduled to appear in connection to a multi-million-dollar scheme to illegally bring over pool “chlorine” from China as well as fraudulently sell and distribute the product.
This indictment also charged two other men: Jermoine “Jay” C. Brantley (Jay E. Johnson), 52, of Murrieta, California, and Haneef Z. Saleem, 44, of New York, New York.
Prosecutors say that in early 2020, during a shortage of TCCA, better known as pool chlorine, Brantley and Saleem devised a scheme to avoid paying tariffs and duty taxes by giving the wrong import codes for 66 shipments of the chemical.
The pair allegedly misrepresented the substance as “disinfectant” and “swimming pool disinfectant,” instead of TCCA.
The indictment accused all three suspects of luring customers to buy the illegal product by making fake claims and misleading buyers about its strength, efficacy, and registration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)
Customers were told that the product was 99% TCCA but was actually diluted with boric acid.
According to the indictment, more than $3.2 million worth of product was purchased.
Morris is not facing smuggling-related charges. But he is facing conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the illegal sale or distribution of unregistered pesticide, the distribution or sale of misbranded pesticide, and violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.