Lead Paint Inspector Sentenced for Falsifying Lead Paint Certificates and Operating Radiation Machine Without a License

BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today that Rodney Barkley, a Maryland-certified Lead Paint Inspector and principal operator of Green Environmental, LLC, was sentenced to 5 years, all suspended, and 2 years of supervised probation by the Honorable Judge Sylvester Cox in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Barkley pleaded guilty on October 3, 2025, to four counts of Submission of a False Falsifying a Lead Paint Risk Reduction Certificate and one count of Operating a Radiation Machine Without Obtaining a License, offenses related to Maryland’s efforts to reduce childhood lead poisoning. The charges carry maximum penalties of up to two years of incarceration and a fine of $50,000 and one year of incarceration and a fine of $25,000, respectively. The State requested one year of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised probation and community service.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Attorney General’s Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit (ENRCU) following a referral from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) in February 2024 after a review flagged issues with documents submitted by Barkley. MDE found that Barkley was using an X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) device that was not on the list of MDE-approved machines and that he did not possess the required radioactive material license (RAM) to operate it. ENRCU’s investigation revealed that Barkley had issued multiple lead abatement certificates based upon falsified laboratory reports. The falsifications included changing dates, addresses, and lead content values on official lab reports using software such as Adobe Acrobat. In addition to criminal charges brought by the Office of the Attorney General, MDE also suspended Barkley’s accreditation and invalidated 1,400 certificates he had issued.

“Rodney Barkley’s fraudulent and improperly issued certificates unnecessarily exposed countless numbers of children to the lifelong consequences of lead poisoning,” said Attorney General Brown. “There is no more fundamental duty than protecting children from preventable harm. My Office will relentlessly pursue anyone who profits by putting Maryland’s children at risk.”

“We have zero tolerance when it comes to harming children,” said Secretary of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain. “We are committed to holding bad actors accountable, especially when their actions have such serious consequences for people’s health and safety. Parents should be vigilant about making sure they are checking living spaces for lead paint and ensuring that inspections are current.

The Maryland Reduction of Lead Risk in Housing law requires rental property owners to meet safety standards prior to occupancy, with certificates like the Full Risk Reduction Certificates and Lead Free certificates being critical in protecting tenants, particularly children, from the hazards of lead paint. The severity of Barkley’s actions was underscored by evidence that children, residing in properties for which Barkley had issued certifications, were later identified to have elevated lead blood levels.

Attorney General Brown thanks his Criminal Division, specifically Environmental and Natural Resources Crimes Unit Chief D’Arcy Talley, Investigator Ronald Weinreich Jr., Senior Assistant Attorney General Kory Lemmert, and Assistant Attorney General Eileen Murphy who prosecuted this case. Attorney General Brown also thanks the Maryland Department of the Environment for referring the matter to ENRCU, and MDE’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for their cooperation in this prosecution. Finally, Attorney General Brown thanks State’s Attorney for Baltimore City Ivan J. Bates for his assistance in this prosecution.

​