Dumper Goes To Jail,
Ordered To Clean Up Mess

A Columbus man charged with illegal dumping on a lot in a City neighborhood is going to jail and has been ordered to clean up the mess he created. Franklin County Environmental Court Judge Harland Hale has sentenced 47-year-old Vincent Lane (2877 Fenwood Dr, Columbus) to serve five (5) days behind bars. However, before he goes to jail, he must clean up the collection of trash, tires, yard waste, furniture, and more he dumped behind 620 Seymour Avenue. That clean up is part of the 150 hours of community service Lane has been ordered to perform. He received 5 years probation as well and must pay for the disposal of the waste at 620 Seymour Ave (east side, Columbus). Lane pleaded guilty to Littering. (The crime is a 3rd degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and up to $500 fine.)

Columbus Police called SWACO’s Environmental Crimes Task Force to investigate the problem on July 15, 2009. Franklin County Assistant Prosecutor Heather Robinson says Lane was advertising his hauling service and people assumed that he would dispose of the waste he collected properly. “Illegal dumpers need to know our Environmental Crimes Task Force vigorously investigates and prosecutes these types of crimes. Illegal dumping is a crime of greed and laziness. It has the potential to breed more crime and cause human disease, and it is a blight on our community. This behavior is intolerable.”

Task Force Manager Larry Spencer says illegal dump sites like this can have a far reaching effect on neighborhoods. “We talk about the broken window theory, that is, when one property turns ugly due to neglect and environmental crime, many of the nearby homes will suffer. That in turn can bring down the quality of life for neighbors. We urge citizens to contact us when they see illegal dumping so we can get these situations handled before they create more health and safety problems.”

The Environmental Crimes Task Force of Central Ohio (formerly Nail-A-Dumper) is funded by SWACO. The team includes deputies from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, a prosecutor from the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, representatives from the Franklin County Health Department and an employee of the Columbus Refuse Division. Residents and businesses may call the Task Force hotline at 614-871-5322, (24 hours a day), to report illegal dumping or littering. They may also log on to www.nailadumper.com to make their report.