El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez announced today the sentencing in the case of a Socorro resident who pleaded guilty to illegal dumping for transporting and disposing of grass and yard trimmings on private property.

42-year-old Ramón Valle was sentenced today to 12 months deferred probation, serve 50 hours of community service at the Clint Landfill, and pay $750 fine plus court costs after pleading guilty to 2 counts of illegal dumping (transporting and disposing) before Judge Alma Trejo of the County Criminal Court at Law Number One (the Environmental Court).

The offense occurred on or about April 27, 2008, when Mike Astorga, a resident of the City of Socorro, was getting ready to leave his house, and he heard the tail of a truck closing in his front yard. He went to see what the noise was, and saw a white pick-up truck leaving the scene, after dumping a large pile of grass and yard trimmings. The complainant followed the truck and confronted Mr. Valle, asking him how he would feel if someone did that to him. After taking down the license plate number, the complainant called the Socorro Police Dept. to report the illegal dumping.

            “Illegal dumping is a serious environmental crime which we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” said County Attorney José Rodríguez. 

“The illegal dumping of household trash continues throughout our community, despite efforts by the County to mandate trash collection in the unincorporated areas of El Paso County. Yard waste is an eyesore, and when illegally dumped, is bad for the environment because it breeds vermin. Illegal dumping costs taxpayers thousands of dollars every year in investigation, prosecution, and clean-up costs, moneys that we could be spending on other worthwhile projects,” Rodríguez added.

Illegal dumping is an on-going problem in the county of El Paso, and the County Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute such offenders. The penalty for illegal dumping ranges from a fine up to $10,000 for an individual, or up to 2 years  in jail, or both fine and incarceration. For an association or corporation, the fine is up to $10,000.  To report illegal dumping or other environmental crime, call your local law enforcement agency:  911 if you see it happening; the Environmental Hotline at 1-888-6EL-PASO, El Paso Police Dept. at 832-4400, or El Paso Sheriff’s Dept. at 546-2280.

Socorro Illegal Dumping Press Release.pdf