Alleged repeat illegal dumping violator in southwest Miami-Dade County arrested after witness statement

An alleged repeat illegal dumping violator in southwest Miami-Dade County was arrested recently after a witness came forward to report him.

The witness provided a written statement to a Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) Waste Enforcement Officer (WEO) assigned to the DSWM’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

“I saw this guy with a black (pickup) truck with trailer dumping garbage on the property located at SW 232 Street and SW 125 Avenue. It looked like tiles from a job he did,” wrote the witness in his statement to DSWM.

The witness reported the incident to 311 and provided photos of the alleged illegal dumping violator and his vehicle.

The DSWM WEO recognized the alleged violator from a previous illegal dumping incident. The WEO investigated and found the alleged violator had been implicated in yet another prior illegal dumping case but that case had been dropped after a witness withdrew.

The man’s history and commercial markings on the truck made the case more serious than a typical residential illegal dumping case; the alleged violator was now looking at possible charges for illegal dumping for commercial purposes and transporting solid waste without a permit.

The DSWM WEO spotted the alleged violator’s vehicle on the road and he contacted the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Illegal Dumping Unit, which stopped and questioned the alleged violator. The alleged violator admitted that someone had paid him to throw away the tiles but that instead of disposing of them properly, he illegally dumped the tiles on a vacant lot.

The alleged violator was arrested and charged with illegal dumping for commercial purposes.

Photos of the illegally dumped materials, the alleged illegal dumping violator, and his pickup truck can be found here.

The DSWM reminds would-be violators that illegal dumping is a crime in Miami-Dade County and anyone caught doing it is subject to a fine, vehicle seizure and even possible arrest and incarceration.

Miami-Dade residents who witness an illegal dumping incident in progress should call 911. Never confront someone who is dumping. Instead, try to get the vehicle license plate number or at least a description of the vehicle used to commit the crime.

If an instance of illegal dumping has already happened, call 311.

Illegal dumping can also be reported using the MDC Solid Waste mobile application for Apple iPhone and Android smartphone users. It’s available for download free of charge in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

For more on illegal dumping, visit the DSWM website at miamidade.gov/illegaldumping.