‘Using the cover of night:’ Nearly 4K pounds of litter dumped in Central Florida canal

A Florida man was taken into custody after he was caught dumping close to 4,000 pounds of litter into a Marion County canal, according to the sheriff’s office.In a release, deputies said they responded to 23381 NE 117th Court Road in Fort McCoy on Oct. 22 after receiving a report about the man — identified as Kenneth Thompkins, 59 — “throwing trash, appliances, and miscellaneous debris” into the canal near his property.“Eyewitnesses advised that Thompkins began littering and polluting the canal in February 2026, typically using the cover of night to avoid detections, and that the dump site has grown exponentially,” the release reads.Upon arrival, a deputy noted a large pile of trash and debris in the middle of the canal near a wood berm, prompting the deputy to arrange a date for removal.Getting Rid Of The DebrisOn Monday, deputies used a couple of air boats to remove litter from the canal, and county employees collected and weighed it for disposal.In all, investigators determined Thom