Smithtown man pleads guilty to largest illegal dumping case in NY
A Smithtown man admitted to having a role in the largest illegal dumping case in state history.
Anthony Grazio pleaded guilty in court Monday to his involvement in the illegal dumping of hazardous construction debris.
Prosecutors say Grazio arranged the locations where trucking companies could illegally dispose of solid waste. They say the waste ended up in nearly 24 spots on the Island, including people's homes.
Grazio told News 12 that he didn't intend to hurt anyone and that he didn't know his actions were illegal. "I should have known better...I apologize deeply to the people of Suffolk County, and anybody that did receive the material. I just want them to know it was not done intentionally," he says.
As part of the guilty plea, Grazio will pay $500,000 in restitution and serve two to four years in prison. He was set to be sentenced Monday, but that was postponed until next Monday.
John Kerrigan is a homeowner who’s lived with waste dumped on his Central Islip property for over a year. He says it will cost $56,000 to clean up his half-acre property.