Mail Helps Cops Solve Case Of Illegally Dumped Garbage

SOUTHEAST, NY — A Bronx man faces littering charges for illegally dumping garbage in Southeast. Deputy Randel Hill was patrolling Barrett Road July 29 when he happened upon a large quantity of trash and construction debris that had been dumped on county-owned property next to I-84.

Deputy Hill took photos and then dug through several bags looking for any identifying garbage that would help locate the owner, Putnam County Sheriff Robert L. Langley Jr. said. In one of the bags Deputy Hill located paperwork belonging to a Lake Carmel man.

Given the quantity and substance of the garbage, (roofing shingles, car tires, lawn mowers and household garbage) Deputy Hill contacted Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Kevin Wamsley.

The next day Deputy Hill and ECO Wamsley located the Lake Carmel man. After an investigation Deputy Hill and ECO Wamsley learned that the Lake Carmel man, who was a contractor, had paid an independent contractor to remove waste from a construction site in Yonkers.

The independent contractor, 56 year old Antonio Ortiz-Zayas was contacted and directed to meet Deputy Hill and ECO Wamsley at the dump site. Ortiz-Zayas told Deputy Hill and ECO Wamsley that he thought Barrett Road was a free dumping site.

He was issued a Littering summons by Deputy Hill and an Unlawful Disposal Summons by ECO Wamsley. He also had to pick up and remove the garbage.

For those of you who don't know the earlier reference, watch and listen here. Don't miss this part: "He said, 'Kid, we found your name on an envelope at the bottom of a half a ton of garbage.'"

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