ST. LOUIS -- Owners and employees of a St. Charles County tavern and restaurant were convicted Thursday of dumping raw sewage into the Mississippi River.

Found guilty of violating the Clean Water Act by conspiring to dump sewage into the river were Venetian Harbor Inc. of Portage Des Sioux; its president, Warren Spielman, 85, of St. Louis; vice president Jered Lee Bonbrake, 48, of Alton, Ill.; and employee Rush Templeton, 45, of Florissant. A federal jury reached its verdict after a seven-day trial.

Sentencing will be Dec. 7.

Another defendant, Thea Preston, 43, of St. Charles, pleaded guilty Sept. 6. She will be sentenced Nov. 29.

Venetian Harbor operated a business known as "The Tavern on the Rand," on a former tow vessel permanently moored at Venetian Harbor at Portage Des Sioux.