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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 14, 1993                   TAG: 9304140282
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

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LAB PAYS $100,000 IN TEST FRAUD CASE

Commonwealth Laboratory Inc. has paid $100,000 to the city and state to settle its liability for fraudulent environmental tests.

The privately owned laboratory also has corrected or will correct problems that resulted in false results being submitted to the state Water Control Board and the Virginia Department of Waste Management.

The agreement approved by Richmond Circuit Judge Melvin R. Hughes Jr. found the laboratory liable for $200,000 under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

But the agreement credited Commonwealth for $50,000 it has spent to correct the problems and an additional $50,000 for penalties it might have to pay to the federal government.

The $100,000 paid to the state is for attorneys' fees and other costs of the investigation by the state and the office of Commonwealth's Attorney Joseph D. Morrissey.

Lawrence J. LeVine, a former laboratory manager, has been charged with 50 counts of falsifying reports.

A trial date is to be set May 3.

The agreement says the laboratory does not admit committing any violations but accepts "responsibility for the alleged actions of its employees and its own alleged actions."

Ralph L. Axselle Jr., an attorney for Commonwealth Laboratory, said Monday that LeVine's actions "were against its corporate policies and unknown to the officers of the company."

The lab tests water, soil and air samples for pollutants and reports the results to private clients and regulatory agencies.

Virginia State Police, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and other state and local police agencies raided the laboratory Nov. 20, and LeVine was fired within days.

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