Ryan Spencer, a 33-year-old Harrisburg resident, has been charged in connection with violations of the Clean Air Act. The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced the charges on April 4, 2025. Spencer faces accusations of conspiring to obstruct the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) operations and breaching the Clean Air Act. These charges stem from his role as Service Manager at Pro Diesel Werks, LLC, where, along with the company's owner, Roy Ladell Weaver, and other conspirators, he allegedly engaged in disabling emissions control systems on diesel vehicles, a practice known as "deleting." This activity reportedly took place between 2013 and March 12, 2024. Additionally, Spencer and his associates are accused of tampering with emissions diagnostic systems to prevent them from detecting hardware deletes, a process referred to as "tuning."
On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Weaver and Pro Diesel Werks for conspiracy and individual Clean Air Act violations. The investigation is being conducted by the EPA's Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams, along with Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorneys Ronald A. Sarachan and Richard J. Powers, are overseeing the prosecution.
In terms of penalties, the law stipulates a maximum of seven years imprisonment, a supervised release period following imprisonment, and a fine. Sentences are determined by the presiding judge, who considers federal sentencing statutes and guidelines.
It's important to note that charges and indictments are mere allegations at this stage. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.