A longtime Massey Energy Company executive was sentenced today to 42 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for two federal crimes in connection with an ongoing investigation of practices at Massey.

David Hughart, 54, of Crab Orchard, West Virginia, is the former president of Massey’s Green Valley Resource Group and the highest-ranking official to be convicted in the ongoing federal investigation.

Hughart’s sentence is one year above the top of federal advisory guidelines range.

Hughart previously pleaded guilty in February 2013 to two federal charges: conspiracy to impede the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and conspiracy to violate mine health and safety laws.

“Mine safety laws exist to protect the health and safety of coal miners.  When those laws are broken, miners’ lives are put in danger.  That’s absolutely intolerable,” said U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin.  “This prosecution reiterates the message that mine safety laws are never, ever optional.”

Hughart admitted that he and others at Massey conspired to violate health and safety laws and to conceal those violations by warning mining operations when MSHA inspectors were arriving to conduct mine inspections.

Hughart is the highest-ranking mine official ever convicted of conspiracy to impede MSHA or conspiracy to violate mine health and safety standards.

Coal mines in the United States are subject to an array of mandatory federal mine health and safety standards designed to prevent dangers such as explosions, roof collapses, and fires.  MSHA conducts frequent, unannounced mine inspections to monitor compliance with those requirements.

When MSHA inspectors find violations of health and safety requirements, mine owners are subject to monetary penalties and, in some cases, production shutdowns until violations are corrected.

The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Irene C. Berger of the Southern District of West Virginia.