DA Tierney Charges Two Men With Illegal Dumping

DISTRICT ATTORNEY TIERNEY CHARGES CO-DEFENDANTS WITH VIOLATING SUFFOLK’S EVERGREEN LAW

Charles Weiss and Marvin Sandoval Allegedly Dumped a U-Haul Truck’s Worth of Garbage in the Long Island Pine Barrens

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Charles Weiss, 32, of Coram, and Marvin Sandoval, 28, of Ronkonkoma, were arrested for violating Suffolk’s new Evergreen Law by allegedly dumping a pile of construction waste and household debris in a remote wooded area within the protected Long Island Central Pine Barrens Region.

“Last December, I stood with the County Executive, Sheriff, and other law enforcement partners charged with protecting our environment to announce the Evergreen Initiative,” said District Attorney Tierney. “The Long Island Pine Barrens are necessary to the health of our ecosystem, but at the same time, is incredibly fragile. I am fully committed to preserving our natural heritage and will take any and all actions necessary to deter and defend against pollution.”

“Any person who is caught dumping trash or any other debris in our county parks will face the full strength of the law,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. “I thank District Attorney Ray Tierney and the Suffolk County Park Rangers and Police Department for their dedication to protecting our parklands and communities.”

According to the investigation, on November 6, 2024, Weiss and Sandoval allegedly loaded a U-Haul box truck with construction waste and household debris and then drove into a remote wooded area within the Long Island Central Pine Barrens Region where they dumped the contents of the truck onto the forest floor. The materials they allegedly dumped consisted of pieces of wood furniture, used paint cans, paint rollers, shower doors, chandeliers, large pieces of styrofoam, a sink, a granite countertop, tools, and multiple bags of household garbage.

The defendants’ alleged conduct was uncovered by two civilian witnesses who had the good conscience and initiative to sift through the pile for any identifying information and then contact law enforcement. A joint investigation between the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County Park Rangers, and the Town of Riverhead Police Department identified Weiss and Sandoval, who had allegedly solicited a job of cleaning up a house for a $1,000 fee and then, instead of proper disposal, allegedly selected the Pine Barrens as their dump site.

About the Evergreen Initiative

In December 2023, District Attorney Raymond Tierney, County Executive Ed Romaine, and Sheriff Errol Toulon, along with leadership of the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Suffolk County Park Rangers, Long Island Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Commission, and Crime Stoppers, announced the Suffolk County Evergreen Initiative - a collaborative plan to curb illegal dumping on county property and within the Central Pine Barrens Region by ramping up and coordinating enforcement, imposing harsher fines, and enhancing civilian incentive to report dumpers.

In early 2024, the Suffolk County Legislature amended Suffolk County Code § 433-7 to raise the maximum fines for dumping in the Pine Barrens Region to $15,000 for individuals and $25,000 for corporations. It additionally mandated that 33% of fines collected from convictions under the statute would be remitted to members of the public who provided information leading to the arrest and conviction of offenders. This award was designed to spur the interest and assistance of the public in identifying and preventing illegal dumping in this largely unsurveilled area.

The Evergreen Initiative thus relies heavily on deterrence and citizen stewardship as a means of protecting an otherwise vulnerable and voiceless victim. The amendments were thereafter signed into law by the County Executive and enacted in March 2024.

About the Pine Barrens

The Long Island Pine Barrens Region, also referred to as the Long Island Pine Barrens Preserve, Central Pine Barrens Area, Core Preservation Area or Compatible Growth Area, is Long Island’s largest natural area and its last remaining wilderness, covering more than 100,000 acres. The Pine Barrens Region overlays and recharges a vast portion of Long Island’s sole-source aquifer. All of Long Island’s drinking water comes from underground wells fed by this aquifer. The majority of the Carmans River and Peconic River and their watersheds exist within the Pine Barrens. The Pine Barrens are a vital stopping point for various species of migratory birds and Long Island’s last undisturbed home to a vast array of local wildlife.

The health of all of Long Island is utterly dependent on the integrity of the Pine Barrens. In recognition of its extreme ecological significance – not just as a wildlife preserve but sole source of drinking water – New York State enacted the Long Island Pine Barrens Maritime Reserve Act in 1990 and, along with it, the Central Pine Barrens joint planning and policy commission.

On November 27, 2024, Weiss and Sandoval were each arraigned on charges of violating section 433-7 of the Suffolk County Code (the Evergreen Law). Riverhead Town Justice Court Judge Sean Walter ordered both Weiss and Sandoval were released on their own recognizance. Weiss and Sandoval are both due back in court on January 8, 2025. Weiss is being represented by William Newman, Esq., and Sandoval is being represented by Robert Strecker, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Williams of the District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Thomas Smith of the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, with investigative assistance provided by Suffolk County Park Rangers and members of the Riverhead Town Police Department.