Matthew R. Talamo, the 38-year-old owner of Southern Diesel Truck Co. in Oswego County, has been fined $50,000 and sentenced to four years probation for disabling emission controls on more than 200 pickup trucks.
Talamo admitted to modifying trucks’ hardware and software, tampering with their on-board diagnostic systems, resulting in them emitting substantially more pollutants. From January 2018 to November 2022, Talamo and his company tampered with emission controls on 244 diesel vehicles, often charging owners thousands for modifications, according to federal prosecutors.
Southern Diesel specializes in making aftermarket modifications, particularly to pickup trucks. Some of those modifications included removing tailpipes, mufflers, and other exhaust components and replacing them with parts that lacked filters to reduce emissions. Truck owners sought the modifications to reduce the cost of maintenance and improve speed and fuel efficiency.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes in Syracuse also ordered Talamo to complete 150 hours of community service at his sentencing Friday. Talamo agreed that his company would be subject to inspections any time there was the potential for Clean Air Act violations.
