Greek Tanker Crewman Denied Permission to Leave S.C. Over Extradition Worries in Pollution Case
On July 26, Magistrate Judge Bristow Marchant denied a motion to amend bond conditions for Panagiotis Koutoukakis, a Greek national who has been detained in South Carolina for more than six months and will not be allowed to travel to his home country while he awaits trial on charges that he violated pollution laws as the chief engineer on a chemical tanker.
The Chief engineer faces three felony charges and up to 25 years in prison for his alleged role in a conspiracy to falsify records and cover up illegal pollution discharges while the tanker Green Sky was at sea. The falsified records were discovered last year while the tanker was docked at the Port of Charleston, according to court documents.
Koutoukakis is free on an unsecured $25,000 bond but is not allowed to leave South Carolina. He and four other defendants were arraigned on the charges Tuesday in federal court in Charleston. All of the defendants pleaded not guilty and no trial date has been set.
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Source: Charleston Post Courier
