An ex-BP engineer was sentenced to 10 months’ probation following his misdemeanour pollution charge in relation to the Deepwater Horizon tragedy.
Donald Vidrine, who was the rig’s supervisor at the time, was originally facing manslaughter charges in connection to the 11 deaths.
Those charges were later dropped and he was instead prosecuted under the Clean Water Act instead.
Vidrine and his former co-defendant, Robert Kaluza, were accused of messing-up a pressure test shortly before the rig’s explosion.
Kaluza was later acquitted at trial. However, Vidrine plead guilty and struck a deal for probation.
Vidrine’s sentencing brings an end to the oil spill’s trials. Four former BP employees were either acquitted or handed lesser probation sentences. None of the prosecution’s attempts resulted in prison time.
Vidrine’s probation sentencing comes after a US federal judge approved a $20billion settlement for the 2010 disaster.