Dallas begins cleanup at Trinity River illegal dump site
DALLAS - The city of Dallas has started cleaning up the illegal dump on the banks of the Trinity River.
FOX 4 News first exposed the dumpsite in April. Dallas police then arrested the accused ringleader of the operation.
Now, two months later, a massive cleanup is underway.
Massive cleanup underway
What we know:
The city's cleanup operation is massive and comes as a huge relief to the rightful property owner, whose land was stolen and used for the illegal dumpsite with a forged signature on a deed.
Images from SKY 4 show the size of the city's operation, which is focused not only on the city's easement along the river banks, but also on the private property.
Large illegal trash dump found flowing into Trinity River in Dallas
The discovery of a large illegal dump flowing directly into the Trinity River in Dallas has raised environmental questions about the river's water quality and safety for recreational use.
Months after SKY 4 captured images in April of boards, metals, and plastics on the banks, the city finally installed a floating debris barrier, blocking the trash from spilling into the river that travels all the way to the Gulf.
A Dallas spokesperson said that the city determined that current weather and river conditions made it favorable to begin the cleanup operations. They are expected to take about two weeks.
Property owners react to cleanup
What they're saying:
For Gerald Bleau, the husband of the rightful property owner, the cleanup effort feels like the cavalry arriving.
"My wife called me, I was at work, said that there's a lot of activity going on in the property," Bleau said. "So yep, when I saw them on the camera this morning, I was pretty excited."
Frontier Waste Solutions previously provided bins for Bleau to use, but with a job this massive, his efforts felt futile.
"I just didn't know when they were going to execute it. So today was that day," Bleau said. "I couldn't afford that kind of equipment, so I'm just glad the city is out here with it."
Roots of the illegal dumping operation
The backstory:
Bleau's wife, Shannon, inherited the property from her grandfather. However, weeks before his death in 2023, 59-year-old Kyle Boyd allegedly obtained the property by forging her grandfather's signature on a deed.
A judge voided the forged deed on April 9, returning the property to Shannon. Later that month, Dallas police arrested Boyd and charged him with three counts of felony dumping.
Suspects arrested in Trinity River illegal dumping scheme
Dallas Police have arrested multiple suspects in connection with a large illegal landfill that's been flowing into the Trinity River for several years.
In response to questions, FOX 4 learned the city of Dallas knew about the illegal dump for years before making any arrests. The City Marshal's Office even put cameras up at the site in December 2024. Yet, according to an arrest affidavit, Boyd continued to make money from truckers who paid him to dump their loads at the property.
The Dallas County District Attorney's Office said Boyd is free on bond while awaiting trial.
The Source: FOX 4’s Lori Brown gathered information for this story from the city of Dallas, Dallas Police Department, Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and interviews with Gerald Bleau.