Fall River Police charge man hired by business after 50 mattresses illegally dumped

The Fall River Police Department has charged a man after a massive illegal dumping in the city.

According to police, just before Christmas, approximately 50 mattresses were illegally dumped in the area of Innovation Way, creating a significant mess in the industrial park and an unnecessary burden on the community.

Through careful investigation by Officer William Medeiros, Officer Matthew Belben, and Officer Kris Sousa, officers were able to identify distinguishing features on the mattresses and pair that information with video surveillance, ultimately leading to the identification of a vehicle involved. That vehicle turned out to be a U-Haul, rented by Hemson Etienne. The investigation also led FRPD to contact Massachusetts State Police who had previously encountered the U-Haul on a traffic stop.

The investigation revealed that Etienne was hired by a local hotel undergoing renovations to properly dispose of the mattresses. Instead, the mattresses were illegally dumped, shifting the cost and cleanup responsibility onto the City.

Etienne was criminally charged and the City will be seeking restitution for the labor and cost to dispose of the mattresses.

Fall River Police warn that before hiring someone to get rid of bulky items, do a little homework. If the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is and there’s a decent chance your old mattress is about to become someone else’s roadside problem.