A Federal Railroad Administration inspector has been charged with lying on official documents, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah said.
According to Shah's office, 54-year-old Tremelle Sykes was indicted Tuesday on eight counts of false statements.
Sykes will make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Horan on Friday morning, Shah's office said.
According to the indictment, Sykes was employed by the FRA as a hazardous materials safety inspector for northeast Texas railroads and shippers. He inspected railroads for compliance with regulations pertaining to the transport of hazardous materials such as ethanol, crude oil, and other toxic or poisonous substances.
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Court documents alleged that on at least eight occasions, Sykes falsified inspection reports, claiming to have conducted inspections that never actually occurred.
The reports, which were filed over the course of six months in early 2019, covered rail yard companies in Dallas, Fort Worth, Garland, Cleburne, Gunter, and Saginaw.
According to Shah's office, an indictment is an allegation of criminal conduct and not evidence.
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Sykes, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, Shah's office said.
If convicted, Sykes faces up to 40 years in federal prison, five years per count.
