Court Orders $8.7 Million Penalty Against Lead Paint Inspector for Fraud

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact:
Aimena Lipscomb
aimena.lipscomb@maryland.gov
(443) 979-0728

 

Court Orders $8.7 Million Penalty Against Lead Paint Inspector for Fraud

Judgment permanently bans Barkley from the industry

BALTIMORE (July 2, 2026) – A Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge has ordered a lead paint inspector to pay $8.7 million and permanently banned him from the industry for fraud.

The ruling against Green Environmental, LLC and its principal operator, Rodney Bryan Barkley, follows Barkley's criminal conviction and sentencing earlier this year for falsifying lead paint certificates and related environmental violations. 

"This ruling is a win for Maryland families who depend on reputable inspectors,” said Secretary of Environment Serena McIlwain. “I want to thank Attorney General Anthony G. Brown for bringing this case and the staff of our Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for their diligence to protect the public — especially children who can suffer serious health effects from lead paint exposure.”

The civil action, filed by the Attorney General on behalf of the Maryland Department of the Environment, sought penalties and injunctive relief for violations of Maryland's lead inspection and lead risk reduction laws. The court also recognized radiation violations, including possession of unlicensed radioactive materials and unregistered machines, failure to test unlicensed radioactive materials for leaks, and improper use of unlicensed materials and unregistered machines.

The court entered judgments of $4.88 million against Green Environmental and $3.85 million against Barkley.

In addition to the monetary judgments, the court ordered that Barkley is permanently prohibited from owning or participating in the operation of any lead inspection company. The court also ordered Barkley to surrender any X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) devices in his possession to the Maryland Department of the Environment within 30 days.

The civil judgment stems from an investigation by the department for issuing fraudulent inspection certificates and improper use of the testing device, leading the department to revoke more than 1,400 lead inspection certificates across the state.

###