After being detained last week in Texas, Mindy Janette Stephens was charged with one count of illegally dumping human waste of more than five pounds but less than 500 pounds.
On Dec. 1, a police officer in Electra, Texas, observed the CCTV footage from the fire station and noticed someone placing something outside the front entrance. After that, the officer went to the station to investigate, MSN News reported.
According to documents, he discovered three 5-gallon containers of human feces. The policeman reportedly observed a person returning to an SUV wearing an all-white Haz-mat suit and a yellow mask.
When he attempted to inquire what they were doing, the woman said she was dropping off buckets of human garbage, as per the Radar.
The woman then drove off, but the police notified others, and a different officer recognized Stephens’ voice.
Officials from the city said they would get in touch with Stephens and tell her that she might be charged if she didn’t pick up the trash. She declined the request, stating that it was not her concern.
The garbage was later picked up by a wastewater worker assigned by the city.
The buckets, according to the police, were over 50 pounds each. Stephens got detained after being arrested. She posted a $2,000 bond and was freed.
Illegal Dumping in Texas
According to statistics, unlawful dumping is becoming a bigger problem globally and in Texas, as written on the Texas Disposal system website.
Based on data from the Regional Solid Waste Grants Program of the Texas Association of Regional Councils for 2018–2019, law enforcement investigated more than 5,000 illegal dumping locations, found 1,684 violators, and removed 21.6 million pounds of waste.
People caught unlawfully disposing of their waste might face jail time or fines of up to thousands of dollars. Illegal dumping is considered a severe offense in Texas, and even though punishments differ from state to state, they can be costly.
The Texas Health and Safety Code states that the penalty is harsher the more waste locals dump.
