Ohio Man Sentenced for Tampering with Diesel Truck Emissions Controls

Davis Owens, from Hamilton County, Ohio, has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in disabling emissions control systems on diesel trucks in violation of the Clean Air Act.

Owens, 34, from Cleves, Ohio, will serve 30 days in prison, followed by seven months of home confinement and one year of supervised release.

Owens, the co-owner of Holderdown Performance and owner of Cincy Diesel Performance, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the tampering of a monitoring device required under the Clean Air Act. The sentencing follows his involvement in an aftermarket scheme to disable emissions control systems on heavy-duty diesel trucks, which significantly increases the release of harmful pollutants into the environment.

In 2020, Owens entered a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This agreement addressed allegations that he and Holderdown Performance knowingly bypassed or “defeated” emissions