A Ravenna man has pleaded guilty for his part in a scheme that resulted in 3,000 tires being illegally discarded on a co-conspirator’s property, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
Darian Ball, 53, pleaded guilty in Portage County Common Pleas Court to charges of open dumping, an unclassified felony. Ball was sentenced to 120 days in jail and received a $25,000 fine, $24,000 of which was suspended. A four-year prison sentence also was suspended.
The plea marks the latest development in an ongoing investigation into the tire-dumping operation in Ravenna. Ball and his co-conspirator, Sheldon Jandreau, were indicted on March 14, 2024.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Environmental Enforcement Unit, an arm of the Attorney General’s Office, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency investigated the case after receiving multiple complaints from residents.
The investigation revealed that between May and November 2022, Ball collected tires from various locations around Ravenna and, with Jandreau’s assistance, illegally dumped them on Jandreau’s property. Ball paid Jandreau for his help with each tire pickup and dumping. A warrant has been issued for Jandreau’s arrest.
The Environmental Enforcement Section of Attorney General Yost’s office prosecuted the case.
The charges highlight Yost’s commitment to combating pollution and protecting the well-being of communities across Ohio. His Shine a Light on Dumpers campaign targets illegal open dumping, including the improper disposal of scrap tires and demolition debris which blight Ohio neighborhoods.
The Shine a Light on Dumpers initiative offers a range of online resources including awareness materials, legal guidance, training as well as investigative and prosecutorial support provided by the Attorney General’s Office.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Dominic Binkley: 614-728-4127