Father and Daughter Plead Guilty to Smuggling R-22 for HVAC Companies

Ricky Jesus Rodriguez and his daughter Jasmine Rodriguez pleaded guilty in federal court on October 16 to smuggling banned R-22 refrigerant from Mexico into the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Rodriguez was paid tens of thousands of dollars to coordinate the operation on behalf of at least two American HVAC companies. The companies actively recruited and paid smugglers to hide R-22 tanks in their cars and drive them across the border. R-22 has been banned from production and import in the U.S. for years under the Clean Air Act.

This case shows federal prosecutors are going after both smugglers and the companies that hire them. If you're sourcing R-22 through questionable channels or working with suppliers who can't document legal inventory, you're exposing yourself to criminal liability. The companies involved in this case faced federal investigation alongside the smugglers.

Stop sourcing R-22 from any supplier who can't provide clear documentation showing the refrigerant came from reclaimed or existing legal inventory. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Key Takeaways:

• Father and daughter admitted smuggling R-22 for at least two U.S. HVAC companies
• Companies paid smugglers tens of thousands to hide tanks and cross border
• Federal prosecutors targeting both smugglers and companies hiring them
• R-22 production and import banned for years under Clean Air Act