Help us crack down on open dumping

Allen County Common Pleas (CR 2019 0271)

Two counts of illegal transportation of scrap tires, one count of open dumping of scrap tires (all unclassified felonies)

Despite repeated warnings from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Maze failed to obtain a scrap tire transporter’s registration, as required by state law, and continued to illegally transport scrap tires as part of his tire business. An Ohio EPA investigator saw Maze violating the law twice in November 2018, transporting more than 10 scrap tires at a time in a Chevrolet pickup truck.

Guilty to two counts of illegal transportation of scrap tires

On Dec. 18, 2019, Maze was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years of community control, and ordered to pay court costs.

Maze had a recent criminal record.

Belmont County Common Pleas (22 CR 0207)

One count of open dumping solid wastes (an unclassified felony)

During a drug-eradication mission, a Belmont County deputy sheriff and an agent from the attorney general’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation discovered a property containing a large amount of solid wastes and construction and demolition debris – all illegally dumped on the site. They spoke to Hodgson, who leases the property, and he admitted to discarding the materials. Hodgson also said he allowed someone else to dump construction and demolition debris on the property for a fee. He said he planned to reuse some of the materials, but the piles – which stretched about 300 yards down the road – were largely trash.

Guilty to open dumping of solid wastes

On Nov. 21, 2022, Hodgson was sentenced to two years of community control, fined $10,000 (suspended), and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and pay court costs.

Hodgson cleaned up the dump site.

Clermont County Common Pleas (2020 CR 1075 and 2020 CR 223)

Indicted by a grand jury in February and December 2020 on four counts of open dumping of solid waste, two counts of violating a director’s orders, two counts of operating a solid waste facility without a license, one count of illegally operating a construction and demolition debris facility, and one count of air pollution (unclassified misdemeanors and felonies)

Combs spent years flouting Ohio EPA directives to stop discarding waste illegally. He built trash piles 20 feet high across acres of his land and even started dumping debris on an adjacent property. His blatant disregard for his neighbors’ well-being exposed them to potential disease from rodents and mosquitos and substantially affected their home values.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office worked with the Ohio EPA to file court actions to shut down his illegal operation. When agents with BCI’s Environmental Enforcement Unit executed a search warrant at Combs’ residence, they discovered that some of the illegally dumped solid waste had been buried under the ground.

The many findings in the Combs criminal investigation were presented to a Clermont County grand jury; the charges against him followed.

Not long before the criminal sentencing, a Clermont County judge imposed $1.49 million in civil penalties against Combs, described as “one of the most, if not the most, recalcitrant violators” ever encountered by the Ohio EPA.

Guilty to eight unclassified felonies, including open dumping of solid wastes, illegal operation of a solid waste landfill without a license, and violating a director’s orders

On July 6, 2021, Combs was sentenced to four years in prison.

Still to be addressed is the mess Combs left behind in southwestern Ohio while he serves his prison sentence. The cleanup costs are estimated at $1.3 million. Combs has filed for bankruptcy, but Attorney General Yost and his team are working to do everything possible to ensure that Combs is held financially responsible for the eyesore he created.

Robert Grissinger

Clermont County Common Pleas (20 CR 1074)

Open dumping of solid wastes

In July 2019, a wildlife officer for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) responded to a report of an abandoned boat full of trash at the boat ramp on Twin Bridges Road in the East Fork Wildlife Area.

On the boat, the officer found televisions, furniture, plastic pools, a scrap tire and assorted household garbage. Relying on a shipping-label address on a cardboard box found in the boat as well as other information, the officer determined that the boat and trash potentially belonged to Grissinger.

ODNR requested investigative assistance from BCI’s Environmental Enforcement Unit, who interviewed Grissinger’s ex-wife. She confirmed that the abandoned boat and other solid waste belonged to Grissinger, explaining that the boat didn’t run and was used to dispose of solid waste from the couple’s former residence. The previous summer, she said, she returned home from work one day and the boat was gone.

Investigators later interviewed Grissinger, who reluctantly admitted that he’d left the boat full of solid waste at the Twin Bridges ramp. He knew it was illegal, he said, but wanted to avoid paying disposal fees.

Grissinger pleaded guilty to open dumping of solid wastes.

On June 8, 2021, he was sentenced to two years of community control, required to write an apology letter to ODNR, ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to Zach’s Towing for disposal fees, and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.

Clinton County Common Pleas (CRI-500-225)

Three counts of open burning of solid wastes (unclassified felonies) and three counts of causing air pollution from open burning (unclassified misdemeanors)

In September 2020, firefighters responded to a complaint about illegal open burning at Wallace’s residential property at 93 E. State Route 350 in Cuba. Upon arriving at the property, firefighters saw dark smoke coming from a fire that contained solid wastes, including cardboard, plastics, a nylon bag, processed wood and plywood. Wallace, who was there, admitted that he was burning to clean up the property.

About five months later, on Feb. 15, 2021, a Clinton County deputy sheriff responded to a complaint of illegal open burning at Wallace’s property at 3248 Cuba Road. The deputy saw smoke coming from a utility trailer near two pickup trucks parked on the property. The bed of the trailer containing trash was on fire. The burning garbage consisted of plastic, rubber, black garbage bags, the flatbed of the trailer itself, and random trash (pop cans, bottles and other plastic containers). Wallace, who was sitting inside one of the trucks, admitted to starting the fire. He was told to extinguish it because such open burning is illegal.

Wallace was found guilty at trial of two counts of open burning of solid wastes (unclassified felonies) and two counts of air pollution resulting from open burning (unclassified misdemeanors).

On Aug. 9, 2022, Wallace was sentenced to two years in prison.

As his sentencing, Wallace – who had been convicted of open burning of solid wastes in 2016, a case also prosecuted by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office – was deemed “an environmental terrorist” by the judge and, as such, an unsuitable candidate for community control.

Geauga County Common Pleas (23 C 000066)

One count of open dumping solid wastes (an unclassified felony)

The owner of a bowling alley near Chardon discovered a pile of solid waste dumped behind a storage shed, concealed from street view. A utility bill was found among the solid waste and revealed the name and address of a person from a neighboring county. She was contacted and confirmed to a Geauga County sheriff’s deputy that Sobecki had been paid to complete a garage clean-out of solid waste. Upon locating and interviewing Sobecki, he admitted to dumping the solid waste behind the bowling alley rather than paying to dispose of the solid waste at a local landfill.

Guilty to open dumping of solid wastes

On Aug. 16, 2023, Sobecki was sentenced to 140 days in jail, to be served concurrently with a separate felony sentence in Geauga County, and two years of community control. He also was ordered to pay court costs. In addition, Sobecki agreed to have $800 of his posted bond money used for restitution to cover the cost of cleaning up the illegally discarded solid waste and disposing of it at a licensed landfill.

Sobecki paid restitution to clean up the solid waste.

Highland County Common Pleas (19 CR 061)

One count of illegal transportation of scrap tires and seven counts of open dumping of solid wastes

A joint investigation by the ODNR’s Division of Wildlife and BCI’s Environmental Enforcement Unit found that Ison had illegally dumped more than 200 scrap tires at two Highland County locations.

The tires originated from a local junkyard that had agreed to pay Ison for their disposal — work he did in 2017. Ison dumped the tires in two Highland County townships, including an area of the 5,090-acre Paint Creek Lake Wildlife Area, adjacent to Paint Creek State Park, which features scenic woodlands and a lake area known for dove hunting, fishing and wildlife watching.

Pleaded no contest to all eight charges

In October 2019, he was sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay $730 in restitution to the local Solid Waste District for scrap-tire disposal fees.

After serving almost 10 months in prison, Ison was granted judicial release, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conditions of his release required him to spend four to six months in a community-based correctional facility, perform 400 hours of community service and serve three years under community control. When he failed to comply with these conditions, the court revoked his judicial release and imposed the balance of his prison sentence.

Lucas County Common Pleas (CR 2023 2291)

One count each of illegal transportation of scrap tires and open dumping of scrap tires (all unclassified felonies)

During the summer of 2022, complaints from concerned neighbors prompted an investigation by the City of Toledo, leading to a criminal investigation. Gatter and Wagner illegally hauled more than 2,000 scrap tires from Toledo tire stores without a scrap tire transporter’s registration, as required by state law. The tires were unlawfully dumped in the backyard of their residents. Charges also were filed against Osama Al Awkati, owner of Uncle Sam’s Auto Center in Toledo, for his involvement in supplying scrap tires to Gatter and Wagner. Awkati was convicted of misdemeanors for his role in the scheme.

Guilty to one count each of illegal transportation of scrap tires and open dumping of scrap tires

On February 16, 2024, Gatter and Wagner were sentenced to ninety days in jail, committed to CTF (drug treatment) for six months, three years community control, and ordered to pay $15,630 in restitution.

Community control was ordered due to first felony offenses.

Joseph Senk

Summit County Common Pleas (CR-2020-10-2863)

One count of illegal transportation of scrap tires and one count of open dumping of solid waste (both unclassified felonies)

Senk picked up scrap tires from various businesses in the greater Cleveland area using false exemptions under Ohio law. He then hauled the scrap tires to his property, where the tire treads were cut into large pieces. Subsequently, the tires were dumped at an unlicensed scrap-tire disposal facility and in a vacant lot in Northfield. Some of the scrap tires were even dumped in a small stream, where flooding carried them 300 feet downstream.

A Summit County jury found Senk guilty on both counts.

On June 14, 2023, Senk was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years of community control, and fined $10,000.

Senk had a long history of not complying with Ohio’s scrap-tire laws, including a 2016 conviction for violating those laws.

Jackie Leupp-Brown

Williams County Common Pleas (19 CR 000139)

Two counts of illegal transportation of scrap tires, one count of violating a director’s order governing scrap tires and one count of forgery (all felonies)

In May 2017, the director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued scrap-tire enforcement orders requiring Leupp-Brown to remove more than 2,000 scrap tires on property she owned on County Road M. The mass of tires constituted a nuisance, and Leupp-Brown had agreed to properly dispose of them.

The Ohio EPA provided Leupp-Brown a limited exemption from the transport registration requirement – and even extended that exemption – so she could abate the nuisance herself. She was directed to transport scrap tires only from her property to a licensed scrap-tire disposal facility in adjacent Henry County.

Yet, according to witness observations, receipts and her own admission, Leupp-Brown knowingly transported scrap tires from other businesses without having properly registered with the Ohio EPA.

Guilty to one count of illegal transportation of scrap tires and one count of violating a director’s order governing scrap tires (both unclassified felonies)

On April 13, 2020, Leupp-Brown was sentenced to one year of community control, and was ordered to pay $22,322 in restitution to the Ohio EPA’s scrap tire fund (to reimburse the agency for cleanup) as well as court costs.