Monkey Business in the Engine Room Nets Chief Engineer 6 Months in Prison

Dimitrios Grifakis, the Chief Engineer of the motor vessel CAPITOLA was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison and two years of probation for obstructing a Coast Guard inspection and attempting to conceal unlawful discharges of oily wastes. Grifakis changed his plea to from "not guilty" to "guilty" back on May 4, shortly after the court reviewed the proposed jury instructions, and entered in a plea agreement with the government. He had initially be charged with eight counts, including false statements, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice, all related to attempts to cover up unlawful discharges of oily wastes from the vessel's engine room. In addition to denying the discharges, Grifakis also denied having any records of engine room tank soundings. The Coast Guard initiated its investigation on board after one of the engineers sent word to the Coast Guard, along with pictures from his cell phone, of "monkey business in the engine room." A copy of the Grifakis plea agreement is available via the attached PDF.