Illegal Dumping Of Thousands Of Tires And Tons Of Solid Waste

Posted on 11/19/2009

Defendant: Ronald Gunn

Prosecuting Attorney Ron O’Brien announces that Ronald Gunn was sentenced today by Judge Beverly Pfeiffer to six months home incarceration, $120,000 in restitution ($60,000 to Franklin County General Health Fund and $60,000 to the Ohio EPA), 40 hours of community service removing trash from Franklin County roadways, and three years probation, with 4 additional years of prison time suspended.  Gunn must also find and keep employment, submit to random drug screens, and abstain from committing criminal and environmental offenses.

In 2004, Ronald Gunn owned an auto salvage yard on E. 17th Avenue, where he hired a contractor to help him dig massive trenches almost the entire width and length of the salvage yard.  He proceeded to bury thousands of tires and tons of solid waste, including an entire garbage truck filled with waste.  On September 1st, 2009, Gunn pled guilty to the indictment:  2 counts of Open Dumping (unclassified felonies), 5 counts of Operating a Solid Waste Landfill Without a License (unclassified felonies), and 1 count Water Pollution (unclassified misdemeanor).

This case was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Prosecuting Attorney Ron O’Brien’s office, through the Nail-A-Dumper program, which is funded by the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO).  Ohio EPA’s Office of Special Investigations provided critical assistance in excavating the site during the execution of the criminal search warrant.