Carlton S. Patton

Special Agent, Retired
EPA CID

Carlton S. Patton is a retired Senior Special Agent with 27 years of service to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), Criminal Investigation Division (CID) with an additional three years to the civil offices of U.S. EPA.  Patton specializes in civil and criminal environmental investigations and fraud investigations.  Prior to his EPA tenure, Patton worked six years with the IRS as a Revenue Officer.

Client Services.  Mr. Patton offers extensive experience to clients who may be under an environmental audit, Notice of Violation (NOV), or any other investigation by a federal, state or local, civil and/or criminal law enforcement agency with respect to any alleged violation of the environmental statutes.   Services can include a review of an individual or companies’ practices that are under investigation for environmental compliance programs deficiencies, targeted inspections, or any alleged environmental violations under multiple programs within the EPA and/or state environmental laws. Patton can assist in evaluating, assessing and developing a plan of action in addressing challenges presented against a client.

U.S. EPA CID. Patton conducted many investigations, provided Grand Jury and Court testimony while being a Special Agent. He worked on several large cases during his time with EPA CID.  One of the largest national cases that Patton provided his investigative skills to was the Deepwater Horizon criminal investigation.  Patton lead the only Deepwater Horizon criminal investigation team that resulted in a conviction and incarceration of a charged individual.  Another large case investigation of national importance that Patton was an investigator on involved a company that was prosecuted for false underground storage tanks (UST) system integrity tests. Other investigations during Patton’s tenure with EPA included those under the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA), Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).  Other skills performed by Patton included computer forensics with the EPA National Computer Forensics Laboratory (NCFL), environmental training, many leadership roles, and conducting interpersonal and behavioral employee background checks for perspective CID hires.

U.S. EPA. Patton conducted many civil investigations in the Region 6 EPA Cost Recovery Section which assisted in identifying and connecting potentially responsible parties (PRP) and responsible parties (RP) to identified polluted sites in violations of environmental statutes. Patton also provided community service outreach on behalf of the agency.

Internal Revenue Service.  Patton began his federal government career as a Revenue Officer with the Houston District.  He conducted many interviews, analyzed and resolved issues with taxpayers and/or their representatives regarding individual and business tax returns, addressed, collected and/or requested abatement of delinquent tax accounts, conducted tax investigations, and counseled taxpayers on U. S. tax laws.

Education & Affiliations.  Patton has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology, a certified trained criminal investigator from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), received Environmental Investigation Basic (EIB) training, a trained Seized Computer Evidence Recovery (SCERS) agent, training at the National White-Collar Crime Center, a FLETC guest computer forensic instructor, and a guest instructor at the FBI Academy.  Patton has received and been certified in the Personal Protection and Safety Training, also known as the 40 Hour – Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response Certification (HAZWOPER) training.  Patton received many awards and accommodations over the years for his environmental and fraud investigations.