After being listed as fugitives, former Shoosmith landfill owners turn themselves in overnight

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Two former owners of the bankrupt Shoosmith landfill who were indicted following years of environmental violations have turned themselves in after being listed as fugitives and been released on unsecured bonds, according to newly obtained court records.

Fred Gerald Nichols and Paul Lawrence McGee each appeared before a Virginia magistrate early Wednesday, Oct. 7, after turning themselves in, according to bail records obtained by CBS 6. Both were released on $25,000 unsecured bonds.

The records provide new details following CBS 6's reporting last month that Nichols and McGee had been indicted and listed as fugitives in the Virginia court system. Both men were living in Texas at the time, according to court records.

Chesterfield County

Former Shoosmith landfill owners indicted, listed as fugitives

Melissa Hipolit

The former owners have each been indicted on a Class 4 felony charge of unlawfully abandoning a waste facility, along with two misdemeanor charges of willfully violating Virginia's Water Control Act.

The new bail paperwork says both men turned themselves in.

New details from bail records

Nichols told the magistrate he was retired and lived in Texas. The bail checklist states that, according to Nichols, he owned a ranch and livestock in Texas and had roughly $50,000 to $250,000 in the bank.

McGee was also listed as retired and living in Texas. According to the bail checklist, McGee reported owning a house and two vehicles and having $100,000 in a bank account.

The bond documents show McGee's $25,000 bond was unsecured and his release was approved by a magistrate at 3:26 a.m. on Oct. 7. Nichols' $25,000 bond was also unsecured and approved at 3:35 a.m.

An unsecured bond does not require a defendant to post cash or property upfront as security, although the bond paperwork states the debt may become payable if the defendant fails to comply with the appearance conditions of the recognizance.

Years of problems at Shoosmith

The criminal cases are the latest development in a story CBS 6 has been investigating for months.

The Shoosmith landfill's former owners filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2025. A court-appointed bankruptcy trustee subsequently described conditions at the landfill as a potential"environmental catastrophe."

An engineering group working for the trustee estimated that closing the landfill, performing corrective measures and providing post-closure care could cost more than $172 million over 30 years, while available bond funds totaled only slightly more than $19 million.

CBS 6 later uncovered Virginia Department of Environmental Quality enforcement records showing environmental problems at the landfill years before the bankruptcy.

Watch: Records show Chesterfield's Shoosmith landfill leaked waste into Swift Creek years before bankruptcy

DEQ found landfill gas condensate discharging into nearby Swift Creek in June 2021. State staff collected samples from a receiving stream and found elevated levels of BOD-5 and ammonia, which can indicate pollutants and landfill wastewater.

DEQ records also documented leachate seeps in November 2021 and again in June and July 2022.

Dr. Morton Barlaz, a North Carolina State University professor who has researched solid waste for more than four decades, previously told CBS 6 that those kinds of releases aren't typical of a well-run landfill.

"At a well-run landfill, if they had a discharge to surface water, they would jump pretty high, pretty fast to fix it," Barlaz said. DEQ entered into a consent order with Shoosmith in February 2023 requiring the landfill to complete a compliance schedule and pay the state $62,300. An October 2023 DEQ audit found Shoosmith had completed the requirements, and the consent order was closed. But in November 2024, DEQ issued another notice of violation after identifying additional leachate seeps and releases.

Criminal charges followed

CBS 6 reported in September that a grand jury had indicted Nichols and McGee following the years of documented environmental problems at Shoosmith.

Earlier court filings cited in CBS 6's previous reporting said lawyers for DEQ alleged that Nichols and McGee pocketed millions of dollars rather than investing that money in necessary infrastructure and remediation, including a pre-treatment plant for leachate.

The charges against the two men are allegations. The new records show they have now appeared in the court system and were released on unsecured bonds.

The corporate entity Shoosmith Bros. Inc. also faces the same three charges, according to CBS 6's previous reporting.

CBS 6 will continue following the criminal cases and the ongoing effort to address environmental concerns at the landfill.

This is a developing story, so check back with WTVR.com for updates. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have info, photos or videos to share.