Murrieta Man Facing 26 Counts In Alleged Hazardous Materials Scheme

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — A Murrieta man was indicted by a federal grand jury this month for his alleged participation in a scheme that brought a hazardous chemical to the United States via China in violation of federal law.

Jermoine "Jay" C. Brantley (aka Jay E. Johnson), 52, was arrested Sept. 5 at his home. He is facing 26 criminal counts connected to alleged schemes to import from China — then fraudulently market and illegally transport — the hazardous chemical trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) in violation of various U.S. laws and regulations.

TCCA is commonly used as a chlorine source to sanitize swimming pool water. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the chemical was in short supply nationwide, and there was an increase in both import tariffs and duties on TCCA from China that led to dramatic price increases.

Brantley and two co-defendants — Haneef Z. Saleem, 44, of New York, New York, and Brian Morris, 49, of Peoria, Arizona — allegedly smuggled TCCA into the United States from China without paying applicable tariffs and duties that would have made the price of the product less competitive, according to the 26-count indictment filed Aug. 27 and unsealed Sept. 9.

In addition to the alleged smuggling scheme, the indictment claims all three defendants fraudulently marketed and sold the product and arranged to have the hazardous material transported without the proper paperwork and precautions from U.S. ports to customers throughout the United States.

According to the indictment, Brantley and Saleem imported 66 TCCA shipments into the U.S. from China with improper import codes designed to avoid applicable tariffs and duties.

In addition to the smuggling conspiracy, the indictment alleges that all three defendants lured customers into purchasing their imported TCCA by making false representations about the product, including fake descriptions about the strength and efficacy of the chemical and its registration status with the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the indictment, the trio told customers their product contained 99% TCCA when, instead, it was diluted with boric acid. The indictment also alleges the defendants falsely represented that the TCCA was "registered with the EPA."

The indictment also describes how the defendants allegedly violated rules pertaining to the transportation of hazardous materials.

Customers purchased more than $3.2 million worth of TCCA from the trio, according to the indictment.

Brantley could spend the rest of his life in federal prison if convicted on all charges. He is facing one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; four counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States; four counts of smuggling goods into the United States; four counts of entry of goods falsely classified; four counts of entry of goods by means of false statements; two counts of distribution or sale of unregistered pesticide; two counts of distribution or sale of misbranded pesticide; and four counts of violation of the Hazardous Substances Act.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California.