Businessman pled guilty for illegal disposal of solid waste in Ventura County

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. -- A Moorpark man pled guilty to two felony conspiracies on Wednesday in Ventura County.

Ventura County District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced that Samuel Olguin Castro, 47, Moorpark pled guilty to two felony conspiracies related to the illegal disposal of solid waste.

Castro previously ran a company named "Sandbag Masters & Erosion Control" wherein he directed haulers of non-hazardous solid waste, such as dirt, concrete, tile and debris, to contact him for directions on where to dispose of solid waste rather than sending it to a properly licensed landfill.

Castro and his alleged co-conspirators hauled solid waste and disposed of it onto land not belonging to them, and without the authorization of the landowners of these locations.

District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and the Ventura County Environmental Health Division investigated this case.

Between August 17 and August 25, 2018, approximately 15 loads of waste, weighing approximately 150 tons, were dumped illegally at Somers Ranch in Fillmore.

Additional illegal dumping by Castro and his alleged co-conspirators happened at other locations throughout Ventura County.

Ventura County District Attorney says they take the illegal disposal of waste at unauthorized locations seriously and will investigate and prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law. 

Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2020, in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

Under the terms of his guilty plea, Castro faces up to 270 days in jail, will be ordered to pay victim restitution in excess of $400,000 and placed on felony probation for three years.