WINTER HAVEN — A Winter Haven firefighter has been charged with dumping a trailer full of shingles and work debris in a grove, Polk County Sheriff's deputies reported.
Roberto Morales, 27, was charged Saturday with illegal dumping of commercial materials, a third-degree felony, and trespassing, a misdemeanor. Morales was taken to the Polk County Jail and posted a $1,500 bond.
Deputies reported that Feb. 1 Morales was paid by his part-time employer, J Squared 2 Roofing, to dispose of shingles and debris at the county landfill.
After the arrest, Morales told deputies the landfill was closed after he picked up the debris from a work site at Libby Alico Road in Babson Park, deputies reported.
Instead of waiting, Morales drove deep into the grove and emptied the trailer there. The grove, located down the street from the work site, is owned by Alico, a land management company.
The owner of the grove reported the incident to deputies, said Carrie Horstman, a spokeswoman with the Sheriff's Office.
When deputies arrived, they noticed the work site nearby. They asked employees questions about the shingles and that led them to Morales.
When confronted, Morales confessed.
Morales, who is paid an annual salary of $37,856, has worked at the fire department since 2013, said Fire Chief Chris Humphrey.
Humphrey said Morales will receive a letter of reprimand, counseling and must be a model employee as the case moves through the court system. If convicted of a felony, Morales will lose his firefighter standards and his job, Humphrey said.
But Humphrey said Morales has been remorseful.
"He's been an excellent employee for us," Humphrey said. "The idea is to learn from this mistake."
John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com or 863-802-7588.