A Columbia, Indiana man has been sentenced to four months in prison and fined $25,000 for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. Jonathan Achtemeier, aged 44, admitted to tampering with pollution control software on diesel trucks across the nation between 2019 and 2022. Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller announced the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright.
Achtemeier's actions involved manipulating monitoring devices on hundreds of vehicles so they would not detect the removal of pollution control hardware systems. He advertised these services online and could remotely tamper with diesel truck monitoring devices. His company grossed $4.3 million from 2019 to 2021 through these activities.
At sentencing, Judge Cartwright stated, “This offense is characterized as a lack of respect for the law and a flaunting of the law…. The harm that comes from this type of offense is serious.” Acting U.S. Attorney Miller added, “From the comfort of his home, this defendant caused environmental damage across the country... His motivation was money – but the rest of us will pay the price with dirty air and contamination in our soil and waterways.”
Records show Achtemeier conspired with mechanics and truck fleet operators to manipulate monitoring software installed on diesel trucks—a process known as "tuning." This allowed trucks to operate without functioning emissions control systems, resulting in them emitting pollutants at levels up to 1,200 times higher than legally configured trucks.
Achtemeier charged up to $4,500 per truck for work often completed in under two hours. He promoted his services using images of semi-trucks emitting black exhaust under business names Voided Warranty Tuning (VWT) or Optimized Ag.
Prosecutors sought an 18-month sentence and a $100,000 fine, arguing that Achtemeier built a business dedicated to illegal tuning by advertising in diesel-focused Facebook groups like West Coast Trucking.
The case involved coconspirators operating service garages or truck fleets in Washington State. Trucks altered ranged from pick-ups like Dodge R3500s to Kenworth and Freightliner semi-trucks.
The Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Watts Staniar and Dane Westermeyer prosecuted the case alongside Special Assistant United States Attorney Karla Perrin from the EPA.