Ex-Firefighter Kyle Vestermark Guilty in Sewage Dumping Scheme

A former Long Beach firefighter has admitted to orchestrating a decade-long scheme to illegally dump recreational vehicle sewage into the ground, contaminating local water supplies in California’s Imperial County. Kyle Vestermark, 46, pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiracy and multiple counts of unlawful sewage injection, marking the end of a sprawling environmental cover-up that began in 2004.

Vestermark, owner of Dunes Edge Storage in Brawley, California, admitted he installed underground leach lines at both Dunes Edge Storage and Dunes Toy Storage in Holtville—despite explicit permit prohibitions. The permits, issued by the Imperial County Public Health and Planning Departments, required all RV sewage to be pumped out and disposed of at licensed wastewater treatment facilities. Instead, Vestermark used heavy equipment to construct illegal disposal systems that funneled raw sewage directly into the soil.

The operation ran from June 2004 through April 2015. During installation at the Dunes Edge site, Vestermark acknowledged hitting the water table, ensuring that contaminants would seep into the groundwater—potentially endangering public health. The Safe Drinking Water Act violations went undetected until Imperial County authorities uncovered the leach lines in 2015 and ordered their removal.

Charged with one count of conspiracy under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371, Vestermark faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of unlawful injection of sewage under Title 42, U.S.C., Section 300h-2(b)(2), each carrying a maximum of three years and a $250,000 fine. Dunes Edge Storage, LLC, incorporated in 2006, faces up to $500,000 in fines as a corporate defendant.

As part of the plea agreement, Vestermark has agreed to forfeit up to $200,000 if the court determines the sum represents proceeds from the criminal enterprise. The case was investigated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Bureau of Land Management’s Office of Law Enforcement, highlighting federal scrutiny of environmental violations on public and private land.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major scheduled sentencing for February 17, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. in San Diego federal court. The case underscores the risks posed when private operators bypass environmental safeguards for profit—and the long reach of federal enforcement in protecting the nation’s water supply.