Digging up evidence

Photo by Michael Woodward, Reporter

PROSECUTOR’S TREASURE - Supervising investigator Ken Burbank, right, and investigative technician Karl Howell, left, sort through one of Shasta County’s 30 illegal dump sites that have been reported since the investigation began in early March.

A mess of garbage bags, broken refrigerators and torn mattresses litter an illegal dump site in the Anderson countryside. The garbage is old and rank. To clean up the site properly, some dirt will have to be excavated to remove the pools of motor oil that have soaked into the ground.

“A lot of these are infractions; but when someone’s dumping oil, it incurs civil penalties — heavy-duty fines,” said Ken Burbank, Supervising Investigator for the Shasta County District Attorney’s office.

The investigative technician, Karl Howell, stood up from a pile of filth and held up a tattered magazine.

Burbank pumped his fist, “Ch-ching! An address on a magazine subscription!”

Howell searched slowly through garbage bags with his plastic gloves. He’s found syringes before. After less than 30 minutes of digging through the trash pile, they found three names with addresses. Howell took pictures and will book the evidence later in the day. He will research the names to find current residence, ownership of automobiles and employment information.

“I don’t know if the people whose names we find will be held responsible for all of the trash at the site. That’s for a jury or a judge to decide,” Burbank said.

Since the crackdown on illegal dumping began in early March, the investigators have already tallied 30 illegal dumpsites, from which the county is actively pursuing four suspects.

A witness supplied authorities with a license plate number for one of the suspects.

“That is a huge help,” Burbank said. “Believe it or not, some of the people leave their paperwork at the site, which is sweet.”

At one site, investigators found someone’s work-release papers from jail.

Shasta County’s initiative against illegal dumping is modeled after Butte County’s successful program, because the demographics are similar between the counties, according to Director of the Department of Public Works in Shasta County Pat Mintern.

In Butte County’s first year of pursuing illegal dumping two years ago, 117 dumpsites were traced to 83 single-family residences. The following year showed a dramatic improvement: only 51 sites were found. They were traced to 28 single-family residences.

“Butte County is about a year and a half ahead of us,” Mintern said. “We’re following in their footsteps.”

The county isn’t the only agency fighting illegal dumping. Community members and businesses in Happy Valley have collected $600 to reward people who assist in the conviction of illegal dumpers.

To report illegal dumping in Shasta County, call 1-866-618-7274. To report illegal dumping in progress, call 245-6540. Shasta County provides a reward of up to $500 for information leading to arrest and conviction for illegal dumping.

The investigators work with other county agencies to arrange cleanup. However, the county cleans up trash on county property only, they don’t work on private property.

“Not only is (the trash) unsightly and unhealthy, it affects the private landowner. They have to take time and money to clean it up. It’s just not right,” said Burbank.

Standing in front of a disposed metal culvert filled with trash, Burbank said he could imagine his children clearing out the trash to make a fort out of it. A woman who was concerned called the investigators about the private property, because her children go to the open field to play. Burbank said he would probably contact the owner and recommend putting up a gate to keep children out of the area.

An illegal dumping infraction, the cheapest of the violations, would cost a litterbug $290 plus cleanup costs, if they aren’t made to clean up the trash themselves.

“It’s so much cheaper to pay the fee for disposal,” Burbank said.