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 Debris

On 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 Thompkins had discarded around 3,980 pounds of:

• Old fencing material
• Tree debris
• Household garbage
• A fiberglass boat
• Tires
• A large amount of other miscellaneous items

“While on scene, Thompkins approached deputies and admitted to littering in the canal because of fines he received from Code Enforcement,” the release continues.

Thompkins’ Arrest

Following the investigation, Thompkins was arrested at his home on Thursday, according to the sheriff’s office.

As he was taken into custody, though, deputies said methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were located in his wallet.

As a result, Thompkins now faces charges of felony littering, possession of methamphetamine, and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia.

He was released early Friday morning on bond of $9,500.