A development firm was charged with illegal disposal of hazardous waste when it razed an asbestos-laden seven-structure industrial complex east of downtown Los Angeles, CA

Meruelo Maddux Properties was charged with 16 criminal counts, including illegal disposal of hazardous waste, improper handling and disposal of asbestos, failure to notify the South Coast Air Quality Management District of asbestos demolition and failure to provide documentation of removal.

The city attorney's office complaint also named company president John Charles Maddux and project managers John Durham and John Horrigan. Arraignment on the misdemeanor charges was set for May 3.

Prosecutors alleged the company bought a seven-structure industrial site on Vignes Street in September 2005 and all the structures were razed without proper notice to air quality officials about asbestos removal and abatement.

Meruelo Maddux Properties denied the allegations.

"While the city attorney's staff has not provided the company with any complaints, the allegations raised in the (city attorney's) press release are unwarranted," company spokesman Michael Bustamante said.

"We met with SCAQMD staff last April in connection with its investigation of demolition at the property and cooperated fully with staff. When SCAQMD made the company aware of possible surface contaminants in late April of last year, a report was prepared, and a fully permitted remediation of the surface soil was completed several months later in October 2006," Bustamante said.