A Tehachapi-based garbage hauler has been sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution for dumping southland trash in Kern County landfills.
State prosecutors say Paul Benz pleaded guilty to illegal dumping.
Prosecutors say for the last four years, Benz Sanitation hauled trash from the Antelope Valley, mislabeled it as coming from Ridgecrest and dumped it for free in Kern County landfills.
Benz had a contract to pick up garbage in Kern County and dump it in county landfills at no charge.
"Today, Paul Benz Senior pled guilty and agreed to pay restitution in that case. At the same time, Kern will have uninterrupted services in trash, and also we have the continued operation of the company, and we will keep those people employed out there. So, this was justice served on all sides," said Kristopher Young, Attorney General's office.
"He's basically taken full responsibility for it. Over $600 has already been paid and the rest will be paid within a year," said Harland Braun, Benz's attorney.
As part of his plea agreement, Benz will be placed on felony probation and must install GPS tracking devices on all of his garbage trucks.
