FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 19, 2021

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850-245-2112, DEPNews@FloridaDEP.gov

DEP Arrests Manatee Resident on Felony Charges

for Illegal Littering

Parrish, Fla.

PARRISH, Fla. – This week, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) arrested a Manatee County resident accused of dumping several thousand pounds of liquid polymers and paint onto private property.

Investigation by DEP's Environmental Crimes Unit found that the suspect utilized a forklift to load ten 250-gallon containers of polymers and paint into a rented box truck. The suspect then traveled to a remote private property in Parrish, Florida, and dumped the containers. It was found that the suspect completed a total of five trips with the rental truck to dump all of the filled containers onto the property.

On Feb. 17, 2021, DEP special agents arrested the suspect and charged him with felony littering. The suspect was booked into the Manatee County Jail without incident and charged with a third-degree felony which carries the possibility of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

"DEP is determined to hold perpetrators of environmental crimes accountable for their actions," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "DEP's Environmental Crimes Unit continues to go above and beyond the call to investigate criminal incidents where Florida's natural resources are put at risk. Thank you to the special agents on this case for their hard work in bringing the suspect to justice." 

DEP's Office of Emergency Response assisted Environmental Crimes Unit special agents during this investigation and will coordinate to ensure proper cleanup of the site.

About DEP’s Environmental Crimes Unit (ECU)

On Jan. 10, 2019, Governor DeSantis issued an executive order transferring the Environmental Crimes Unit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to DEP to align resources focused on environmental protection and to ensure strong enforcement of Florida’s environmental laws. With this transfer, the Division of Law Enforcement was created and went into effect July 1, 2019. The division is responsible for enforcing environmental laws, responding to incidents where environmental impacts are reported or discovered and ensures compliance of the environmental laws through inspections and enforcement.  The ECU works in conjunction with DEP’s Office of Emergency Response who provides technical and on-site assistance to ensure threats to the environment and human safety are quickly and effectively addressed. Since this transfer, there have been 231 misdemeanors and 64 felony charges made statewide.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/2c21c67