Man who dumped chemicals on Karluk Street receives his sentence

Even on the day of his sentencing, Ronald Alleva still says he was acting out of concern for his community when he had employees dump Zappit 73 - a chemical used in swimming pools - along the edge of Karluk Street near Bean's Cafe. Alleva owns Grubstake Auction Company, which operates from a lot which neighbors the community soup kitchen and the Brother Francis shelter.

"When I saw feces material and filth at 3rd & Karluk ... It was two hundred feet from Kids' Kitchen, where they make 12 to 15 hundred meals a day," Alleva said Tuesday during his sentence hearing. "My idea was protect that vulnerable population."

He says his actions were aimed at preventing the spread of diseases to the outside communities through public transportation; however, the chemicals he used have been determined as potentially harmful to people and animals in the area.

Alleva has sold the land where he spread those chemicals to the municipality for around $750,000.

Judge Leslie Dickson sentenced Alleva to 40 hours of community service with Habitat for Humanity, along with an order to pay just under $6,500 in restitution for the clean up costs. His business, Grubstake Auction Company, will have to pay back around $19,400.

Alleva will also be required to complete a state-approved, 12 week anger management course.