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.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
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