Local Man Pleads In ‘Big Dumping Case’
NBC 4
UPDATE: A local man accused of putting his trash underground instead of paying to take it to the landfill pleads guilty eight counts.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—A local man accused of putting his trash underground instead of paying to take it to the landfill pleaded guilty Tuesday.
NBC 4 reported with the FAST FACTS.
Ronald Gunn, 57, pleaded guilty to two counts of open dumping, five counts of operating a solid-waste landfill without a license and one count of water pollution.
Investigators said Gunn was running his own landfill on Columbus’ East Side.
An entire garbage truck full of trash, 2,000 tires and countless other items were buried 20 feet underground and contaminating the ground water.
SWACO Communications Director John Remy said one trash truck was found five feet down at a junkyard at 1888 East 17th Ave., near the fairgrounds.
Bill Palmer with the Ohio EPA said there were rims off tires and scrap metal.
Gunn was arrested Wednesday, March 11, 2009 and was charged with open dumping, operating a landfill and polluting ground water.
A simple tip call to the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s Nail-A-Dumper hotline resulted in the charge that could put Gunn behind bars until he’s 85 years old.
The actual owner of the property apparently didn’t know that his property was being used as a landfill.
The illegal actions were discovered Nov. 5 but it took days to uncover and months to investigate.
The Nail-A-Dumper program is funded by SWACO.
Residents may call the hotline at 614-871-5322 24 hours a day to report illegal dumping or littering or go to http://www.co.franklin.oh.us/board_of_health/nailadumper.htm.
Gunn’s sentencing was scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2.
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Reader Reactions
This is true… it is quite a bit easier to suggest when you’ve never been in. And it also would not benefit us to have to pay to feed and take care of the guy. That, I concede.
Determining whether his acts have affected the local watershed is something that is nearly impossible to do without wasting millions of taxpayer dollars. Most illnesses due to dumping and spills are linked to non point source pollution, meaning that they can’t truly PROVE the location, even if there’s a glowing neon sign that says “HERE’S YOUR SOURCE!“ Too many variables. It doesn’t mean the source is clean, by any stretch… it just gives room to wiggle out of the legal noose. Look at the landfill in southern Fairfield County… they are responsible for quite a bit of the heavy metal and chemical pollution in the Clearcreek watershed, and ultimately the Hocking River. In recent history, fish from the creek have been placed on the consumption advisory. No big fuss has been or will be made, though. They chalk it up to non point source.
If a cleanup is possible, then yes, by all means charge the guy the bill. Honestly, though, there is probably no chance of ever seeing that money. So what do we do? If he doesn’t go to jail, it would be nice to see the judge do something creative with his sentencing. Not holding my breath, though…
He hasn’t gotten any sentence yet, he just plead guilty to the charges. That alone should reduce his time in prison.
I also understand that water pollution doesn’t have boundaries, that is a very clear concept. What I’m saying is that the extent of the actual damage, not damage that *could have* happened should be used to judge this case.
If no one has become sick or injured due to his illegal dumping, and the damage can be reversed, than that should happen. Fine him the cost of the clean up, suspend his business license, etc. Personally I don’t want to pay to have this man in prison for a long time.
I also think it is very easy for people to throw heavy sentences at others for their crimes when they have never spent any time in jail or prison.
mojoeman, go to the Franklin County Auditors website and look up 1800 17th Ave. and look at the picture. The property next door to this dump site is owned by the City Of Columbus and the sign above the door says “Division of Construction Inspection”.
This is to dennyd, hate to burst your bubble, but the building inspectors are located on Carolyn Ave. Miles away from the area. Now, my question is this: If there was a bussiness that was being run from this location, then why can’t the judge take any monies this person made over the past few years, or his house, vehicles, etc….
When every agency is hurting for money, just mabe he needs to hurt for money. Of course a little jail time would not hurt him either, just not 35 years. Because this is such a high profile case, I am sure he will get more jail time then fines.
I think that this guy deserves the sentence he’s getting, but I also agree that there are plenty of rapists, molesters, murderers, and other monsters out there that have simply gotten off easy - especially in comparison due to their deliberate one-on-one style of crime.
While this dude didn’t hold a knife to someone’s throat, he certainly isn’t innocent of harm to the public. Groundwater contamination is a long-lasting form of poisoning that has the potential to affect countless lives. People want to believe that they can just do whatever they want on land they use or own, and often with a certain arrogance. What their feeble, self-serving minds don’t realize is that chemicals do not recognize property lines. Heavy metals don’t hold short of drinking water sources. It doesn’t work that way. Watersheds are watersheds, and until people start taking the dynamic of the land into effect, they’re going to get busted for doing stupid crap like this because thankfully, there are people out there who want to see them hung out to dry.
Kudos to the tipster. Kudos to the authorities.
thalguy: I’m with you on this one! Seriously, 4-5 years for torturing and killing babies,17 years for “cold blooded murder”,sex offenders with a slap on the wrists(so they can/will violate the civil rights of others repeatedly)is a sad state of our judicial system.
Apparently this guy stealing money(paid by those he was supposed to dump for)means more than lives destroyed by the above mentioned criminals.
Not that I support illegal dumping, but 28 years seems excessive considering other criminal sentences I’ve seen. The guy who abused the child horribly got 4 years, the former politician who lead an underage prostitution ring got one year, etc. I am interested in seeing what happens. I think this is more of a civil crime and should be subject more to large fines, unless you can prove that his actions have caused harm/illness.
Hard to imagine that this location is right next door to the City of Columbus Construction Inspectors offices and it took a tip from a stranger to bust this guy??
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