Idaho diesel parts company pays $1 million fine for selling illegal emission defeat devices

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — An Idaho based diesel parts company and it's owner have agreed to pay a $1 million fine after pleading guilty to selling and installing illegal defeat devices.

The United States Attorney's Office Idaho District, has announced that GDP Tuning LLC, Custom Auto of Rexburg LLC which is doing business as "Gorilla Performance," and the owner Barry Pierce, have pled guilty to charges in federal court of selling and installing equipment to defeat the emission controls on diesel trucks in violation of the Clear Air Act (CAA).

Defeats are pieces of equipment that can be installed on a diesel truck to remove equipment and factory settings that are in place to meet emission guidelines. Defeats can be used in tandem with "tuning," which can drastically increase the performance of a diesel engine, but it also drastically increase the amount of pollutants it can produce.

The EPA released a case study in November 2020, that shows a diesel truck which has a defeat and tune can produce up to 310 x nitrogen oxide, 1,400 x non-methane hydrocarbons, 120 x carbon monoxide, and 40 x the particulate matter. Diesel emissions have been linked to an increased risk of harm to human health and harm to the environment, including worsening respiratory ailments like asthma and lung cancer.

Gorilla Performance sold and installed these defeat and tune devices on several vehicles. As part of the plea agreement the defendants have agreed to pay $1 million in criminal fines and Pierce could face up to 2 years in prison when he is sentenced.

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