CPSC Announces Indictments in Multistate Fireworks Investigation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin today announced that three people have been indicted, and two others have agreed to plead guilty to federal charges resulting from a multistate illegal fireworks investigation. These are the first indictments and plea agreements in an on- going investigation that has been expanded to other states including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Washington.

The probe, conducted with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), began last year after a teenager was killed and two others were seriously injured in separate incidents in Wisconsin involving illegal fireworks. On July 14, 1998, a 17-year-old boy in Shawano County, Wis., was killed by flying shrapnel after detonating an extremely powerful fireworks device commonly known as a "quarter stick" in a mailbox. On July 5, 1998, a 37- year-old man in the same area lost several fingers and suffered a ruptured eardrum after another quarter stick exploded in his hand. On July 4, 1998, a 26- year-old man suffered injuries, including the loss of a finger and a ruptured eardrum, when a similar device known as a "half stick" exploded in his hand.

Because of the extreme danger posed by these powerful fireworks devices, they and similar fireworks devices are banned under federal law.

A federal grand jury in Milwaukee, Wis., indicted 61-year-old Donald R. Peters, his 34-year-old daughter, Peggy Malueg, and 48-year-old Charles J. Childers, on charges related to the sale and transportation of illegal fireworks devices. The two people who have agreed to plead guilty to similar charges are cooperating with government investigators. It is not known if the fireworks involved in the death or the injuries are connected to the people indicted today.

In addition, CPSC is working with officials of Native American reservations near Seattle, Wash., to stop the illegal sale of banned fireworks in that area. Tribal leaders are cooperating with CPSC and local law enforcement officials.

The ongoing investigation by CPSC, ATF, the U.S. Department of Justice's ffice of Consumer Litigation, and various U.S. Attorney's offices also resulted in the seizure of more than 8,000 pounds of illegal fireworks in Keshena and Appleton, Wis., and Mason City, Ill. This includes more than 65,000 quarter- sticks, half-sticks, M-80s and similar devices banned as illegal hazardous substances under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.

The initial investigation into the Wisconsin incidents resulted in the seizure of approximately 10,000 quarter sticks, M-80s, and other illegal fireworks from a fireworks establishment in Keshena, Wis., last August. Investigators subsequently learned of distributors in other parts of the country.

Under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, CPSC prohibits the sale of the most dangerous types of fireworks to consumers. The banned fireworks include large, reloadable tube devices, cherry bombs, aerial bombs, M-80s, quarter- sticks, half-sticks, and other large firecrackers. Any firecracker with more than 50 milligrams of explosive powder is banned under federal law, as are mail order kits designed to build these fireworks.

Improper use of fireworks or the use of illegal fireworks can result in deaths, blindings, amputations and severe burns. In 1998, hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,500 fireworks-related injuries.

CPSC conducts fireworks surveillance and enforcement throughout the year. Each year, CPSC stops hundreds of shipments of hazardous fireworks before they reach the store shelves. Working with U.S. Customs Service since 1988, CPSC has seized or detained more than 400 million hazardous fireworks at the docks.