MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) has arrested a woman for felony littering after she amassed more than 14,000 pounds of trash and debris at an illegal homeless encampment in the Silver Springs Shores area.
On July 21, a suspect was formally charged after an investigation revealed they had intentionally created a large-scale environmental hazard on private property behind Spring Road in Ocala.
Deputies issue warnings before arrest
Deputy Hunter Corne and Deputy Michael Stringer of MCSO led the investigation after they were first notified of the situation earlier in July and had previously warned the suspect to vacate and clean the property. The suspect had been trespassing on the site and had been given one week to remove belongings and place any excess debris in a designated area for Marion County Solid Waste to collect. Despite this opportunity, there was no visible progress or cleanup effort made by the deadline.
Upon inspection on July 17, deputies observed a large makeshift structure surrounded by piles of trash, including household garbage, shopping carts, bicycle parts, buckets of human waste, and drug paraphernalia. The site emitted a strong odor and posed a significant environmental and public health risk.
Two-day cleanup effort
That same day, Marion County Solid Waste responded with a coordinated cleanup effort involving more than 40 workers, four trailers and trucks, a skid steer, four UTVs, and a 20-yard dumpster. Over two days, crews collected and transported a total of 14,260 pounds of debris to the Baseline Transfer Station.
This extensive illegal dumping is in violation of Florida Statute 403.413(4), which classifies more than 500 pounds of litter as a felony offense. The suspect was arrested for trespassing and subsequently charged with felony littering.
“We are fully committed to protecting public safety while also preserving the natural beauty that makes Marion County special,” said County Commission Chairman Kathy Bryant, “This arrest was made possible through a strong partnership with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office who worked diligently with our team to ensure all hazards were removed from the area.”