An illegal immigrant from Haiti was recently arrested after he refused to clean up an oil spill in Central Florida.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Haitian man in the United States illegally after he refused to clean up the Eagle Lake oil spill.
Alex Outten, 44, was charged with failing to get a permit (3 counts). Each charge is a third-degree misdemeanor, but because of Outten’s illegal residency, the charges have been elevated to a third-degree felony.
Outten is a Haitian citizen who came to the United States on a work visa that had expired. He has remained in the United States illegally, living in Eagle Lake.
Eagle Lake Code Enforcement recently discovered a used oil spill at Outten’s Timberland Drive home, which he attributed to a leaking container. The oil flowed approximately 150 feet down the street to storm drains, which eventually drain into Lake McLeod. At that time, Outten agreed to remove the oil.
Code Enforcement contacted a PCSO Environmental Crimes detective after determining that Outten had not properly cleaned up the oil.
“This all happened in a nice, new community,” said Sheriff Grady Judd. “The suspect failed to contain used motor oil, which streamed down the street, into the storm drains, and would eventually make its way into the lake about 1,000-feet away. He was given an opportunity to rectify the problem, but failed to do so.”
Local law enforcement reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was aware of Alex Outten’s illegal residence in the nation.