VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Samuel Olguin Castro (DOB 2/25/73), of Moorpark, pled guilty to two felony conspiracies related to the illegal disposal of solid waste. Castro previously ran a company named “Sandbag Masters & Erosion Control” wherein he directed haulers of non-hazardous solid waste, such as dirt, concrete, tile and debris, to contact him for directions on where to dispose solid waste rather than sending it to a properly licensed landfill. Castro and his alleged co-conspirators hauled solid waste and disposed of it onto land not belonging to them, and without the authorization of the landowners of these locations. The case was investigated by the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation and the Ventura County Environmental Health Division.

Between August 17 and August 25, 2018, approximately 15 loads of waste, weighing approximately 150 tons, were dumped illegally at Somers Ranch in Fillmore. Additional illegal dumping by Castro and his alleged co-conspirators occurred at a number of other locations throughout Ventura County.

The District Attorney takes the illegal disposal of waste at unauthorized locations seriously and will investigate and prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.

Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2020, in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. Under the terms of his guilty plea, Castro faces up to 270 days in jail, will be ordered to pay victim restitution in excess of $400,000 and placed on felony probation for three years.

The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims.