The owner of a trucking company based in Rochester, New York, has been sentenced to 45 months in federal prison after being found guilty of providing false information to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Anatoliy Kirik, also referred to as Tony, was convicted by a jury in June in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York.
According to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo’s office, evidence presented at trial indicated that Kirik’s actions posed a serious risk to the safety of highways due to unsafe trucks.
Sentencing Details
While federal guidelines suggested a sentence of 41 to 51 months, the U.S. attorney’s office pushed for a longer term of 57 to 71 months.
The U.S. attorney’s office noted that during the nearly four-week trial, evidence clearly showed that Kirik engaged in extensive deception aimed at circumventing a ‘conditional’ safety rating imposed on his previous company, Orange Transportation Services, Inc., in order to protect his new company, Dallas Logistics, Inc.
Defense Arguments
Kirik’s legal team had sought home confinement or probation, emphasizing his character and contributions to the community, citing letters that reflected his integrity and positive influence.
A father of nine with no prior criminal history, Kirik was found guilty on all seven charges from his April 21 indictment, which stemmed from an investigation by the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General.
Details of the Deception
The deceit at the center of Kirik’s charges involved the FMCSA form OP-1, which requires carriers to disclose compliance with DOT safety regulations and relationships with any affiliated past carriers.
The indictment stated that during a compliance review in April 2016, officials from Dallas Logistics misled investigators about their location and affiliations, claiming to have no ties with previously regulated carriers.
