A New York man and a mustard and vinegar manufacturing company were sentenced in federal court for illegally discharging pollutants into the Souhegan River.
Charles Santich, 60, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. His company, Old Dutch Mustard Co., Inc., doing business as Pilgrim Foods, was fined $1.5 million and must implement environmental compliance and ethics programs.
Both defendants pleaded guilty in February 2025 to violating the Clean Water Act by knowingly discharging pollutants without a permit.
According to court records, Santich orchestrated a yearslong scheme to bypass required environmental monitoring and avoid wastewater disposal costs. In 2017, he had an underground pipe and drainage system installed to secretly pump acidic wastewater from the facility into the Souhegan River.
Prosecutors said Santich directed employees to carry out the illegal discharges for six years and threatened to fire them if they refused. He also submitted false documents and misled regulators to conceal the activity.
Authorities said the pollution caused environmental damage, hindering recovery of aquatic life in the river and contributing to water quality concerns. Inspectors discovered the illegal discharge in 2023, and federal agents later confirmed the system was still in use.
The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from state agencies.
