POINCIANA, Fla. — Deputies say one local waste worker illegally dumped truckloads of garbage around Polk County.
Peter Kallinicos, 57, used his employer's truck to dispose of garbage in two Poinciana locations near Lake Marion Creek Drive and Homosassa Road, according to the sheriff's office.
Detectives say on July 18 they became aware of the first dump site, where they found a mattress, box springs, old carpet, and a large wooden picture frame. The second dumpsite, about .3 miles away, had a dresser, old carpet, and various debris, according to authorities.
“I can’t make this anymore clearer; the people of Polk County are not going to tolerate illegal dumping, and neither are we. It’s an environmental issue and a quality of life issue…nobody wants garbage dumped in their community. If we catch you illegally dumping around here, we’re going to dump you off at the jail," Sheriff Grady Judd said.
The sheriff's office says the truck belonged to Advanced Disposal, a company that delivers garbage cans to people living in Polk County.
When Kallinicos delivered a garbage can to one family, deputies say they asked him about throwing out their large items. He arranged to haul it away for $100 and the family did not know it was being illegally dumped, according to law enforcement.
Peter Kallinicos was arrested and taken to the Polk County Jail where he faces two counts of felony commercial dumping. He was bailed out of jail Tuesday morning on a $1,000 bond for each count.
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