Man Who Illegally Dumped Waste In Suffolk Sentenced To Prison: DA

SMITHTOWN, NY — A man who called himself a "dirt broker" was sentenced to prison on Monday, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced.

Anthony Grazio, also known as "Rock," 54, of Smithtown, was indicted as part of the District Attorney’s Office’s “Operation Pay Dirt” investigation into an illegal dumping conspiracy on Long Island.

Grazio was sentenced to two to four years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $500K.

"The defendant, with no regard for the safety and well-being of Suffolk County residents, facilitated the dumping of solid waste on residential properties, properties near schools, and other sites," Sini stated via press release. "Many of the sites contained materials that were hazardous or acutely hazardous. This is a major issue for those individual homeowners who were affected and a major issue for the general public."

Grazio pleaded guilty on May 2 to two counts of second-degree criminal mischief (a D felony), two counts of third-degree endangering public health, safety or the environment (an E felony), fifth-degree conspiracy (an A misdemeanor), and operating a solid waste management facility without a permit (an A misdemeanor).

In February 2018, the District Attorney’s Office, DEC and Suffolk County Police Department began an investigation into a conspiracy to illegally dump solid waste in various locations across Long Island. The months-long investigation, coined "Operation Pay Dirt," involved the use of electronic surveillance, including court-authorized eavesdropping, and physical surveillance. The investigation resulted in a 130-count indictment against 30 individuals and nine corporations for illegally disposing of solid waste at 24 locations, which was unsealed in November 2018.

Between January and July 2018, as part of the illegal dumping conspiracy, Grazio would act as a dirt broker by arranging for locations where trucking companies could illegally dispose of solid waste. Grazio posted advertisements on Craigslist and on OfferUp, a marketplace app, for "clean fill," or material that could be used for residential landscaping projects. He also solicited homeowners over the phone and in person for locations to use for dumping.

He would then work with the owners or operators of trucking companies and solid waste management facilities to have solid waste illegally dumped at those properties.

"Illegal dumping poses a serious threat to our environment, and New York will not allow businesses to continue to harm the state’s environment and its citizens while putting profits over public health," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said.