Shoosmith Landfill former owners arrested on felony charges

TL;DR: Fred Gerald Nichols and Paul Lawrence McGee, former owners of Chesterfield County's troubled Shoosmith Landfill, were arrested October 7, 2026, and released on $25,000 bail each after being indicted on felony charges of unlawfully abandoning a waste facility.

The story

Fred Gerald Nichols and Paul Lawrence McGee, former owners of Chesterfield County's Shoosmith Landfill, were arrested October 7, 2026, and released on $25,000 bail each pending trial. Both men, who reside in Texas, were indicted on one Class 4 felony charge of unlawfully abandoning a waste facility and two misdemeanor charges of willfully violating Virginia's Water Control Act. The corporate entity Shoosmith Bros. Inc. faces identical charges, with a hearing scheduled for October 21, 2026.

The indictment follows the landfill's June 2025 bankruptcy filing amid mounting environmental violations and overwhelming closure costs. Court documents allege that Nichols and McGee pocketed millions of dollars instead of investing in necessary infrastructure and remediation efforts. An engineering report filed in the bankruptcy proceedings estimated that full landfill remediation, closure, and post-closure care will cost approximately $173 million over 30 years, but only $19 million in bond funds are available.

The facility, located at 11800 Lewis Road in Chester, has been generating approximately 390,000 gallons of leachate (toxic wastewater) weekly, with significant amounts spilling into stormwater systems that drain to Swift Creek and Piney Branch. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality inspection reports from October 2024 and December 2025 documented leachate and sediment obstructing stormwater conveyance and vegetation, conditions that persisted despite permit violations and noncompliance citations over years of operation. The landfill is currently inactive and undergoing final capping and closure procedures.

The Attorney General's office investigation into the owners' conduct and financial decisions began prior to July 2026, though officials declined to disclose details about the investigation's scope or findings at that time.

Key players

• Fred Gerald Nichols: Former owner of Shoosmith Landfill
• Paul Lawrence McGee: Former owner of Shoosmith Landfill
• Shoosmith Bros. Inc.: Corporate entity operating the landfill
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: State agency overseeing landfill compliance and environmental violations
• Virginia Attorney General's Office: Investigating owners' conduct and financial decisions

Key dates

• 2025-06: Shoosmith Landfill filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
• 2026-07: Virginia Attorney General's office confirmed investigating landfill owners' conduct
• 2026-09: Nichols and McGee indicted by grand jury and listed as fugitives
• 2026-10-07: Nichols and McGee arrested and released on $25,000 bail each
• 2026-10-21: Hearing scheduled for Shoosmith Bros. Inc.

Why it matters: The criminal charges represent potential accountability for environmental neglect at a facility that poses ongoing risks to local waterways and groundwater. The landfill's severely underfunded closure presents a major challenge for county regulators and potentially for taxpayers, who may be required to provide resources to manage the environmental liabilities left by a private operator.

Places

• Shoosmith Landfill
• Swift Creek
• Piney Branch
• Chester

Related links

• Chesterfield County Privately-Operated Landfills
• Virginia DEQ Shoosmith Landfill Information
• EPA Superfund Information on Shoosmith Landfill

Read the original at WRIC 8News Local →

Sources

• Former Shoosmith Landfill Owners Arrested, Released on Bond
• Former Shoosmith Landfill Owners Indicted, Listed as Fugitives
• Environmental Concerns at Shoosmith Landfill as Bankruptcy Filed
• DEQ: AG's Office Investigating Shoosmith Landfill Owners