....October 2, 4:16 PM
	JAMAICA BAY DUMPER CONVICTED A Queens man who discharged untreated sewage into Jamaica Bay was convicted on Wednesday. John Schmitt, 56, was convicted of two class E felonies, a misdemeanor, and two violations for environmental crimes. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor for the criminal possession of a weapon. Schmitt, who owned and operated Schmitt’s Marina on the shores of Jamaica Bay and resided in the same building, flushed sewage from his sinks and toilets directly into Jamaica Bay. Schmitt also owned and operated a telephone answering service at a second building nearby, where the toilet was connected to a pipe that discharged onto the ground and into the groundwater, prosecutors said. Jamaica Bay is an environmentally protected area that provides a habitat for a variety of birds, fish, and other wildlife, in addition to providing protection from storm surges and flooding. Schmitt faces up to four years imprisonment and up to $200,000 in fines when he is sentenced on Oct. 28. [ More Blotters] Clock Ticking On Senate Recount Middle East Strife Felt Through Queens Monserrate Update: Senator-Elect Likely To Be Seated Maloney Honored For Trafficking Fight She Has Two Hands, Thousands Of Stars Four Queens Council Members Score High New Year, Same Drama At Willets Point DA Toy Drive Weprin To Run For Brother’s Seat Groups Weigh In On Monserrate Arrest Cost To Live In NY Increasing USTA Opens Court Queens Auto Dealers Hit The Skids Closing Time ‘Snow Parking’ Days Siegal Is Supreme Ruff Times for Queens Animal Shelters? Cuts To Day Care Worry Queens Centers Students Take Lessons From RFK Waste Report Identifies Queens Park Seminerio Indicted On Corruption Charges Smith Balks After ‘Gang of Three’ Talks East River Tolls Face Backlash