Attorney Says Iowa Developer to Plead Guilty in Asbestos Case

An attorney for a Des Moines, Iowa, developer says he has agreed to plead guilty to charges related to whether asbestos was removed illegally during a renovation project at the Equitable Building in downtown Des Moines.

Bob Knapp is charged in an 11-count federal indictment of overseeing the improper removal of asbestos from the building after he purchased it in 2005.

The Des Moines Register says Knapp’s attorney, William Kutmus, disclosed the plea agreement in a motion filed Feb. 23. In the motion, Kutmus also says Knapp was recently hospitalized with heart issues, and asked the court that Knapp be given more time before entering his plea.

Knapp’s trial was set for Feb. 28.

A supervisor on the project, Russell Coco, recently pleaded guilty to two asbestos-removal charges.

Information from: The Des Moines Register