Mess With Texas And Find Out: Barcode Leads To Felony Arrest

Maybe it was the insanely effective marketing, or that I have a soft heart for nature. Likely it's both. But I took the "Don't Mess With Texas" message to heart. I never litter, even if the inside of my car becomes a little... less than clean over it. Sorry Jetta.

However, some people just didn't get the message, or they are simply selfish jerks. I, like many Texans, despise dumping. It's ugly, nasty, and potentially dangerous to traffic or wildlife. So pardon my schadenfreude at knowing that one person got busted for messing with Texas- big time.

Photo by Jas Min on Unsplash

A savvy Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Game Warden was able to make a significant bust, thanks to a barcode left on a box. A massive mound of construction materials was improperly dumped, including sheetrock, lumber, and housing trim. Illegal commercial dumping can carry big penalties, and the guilty party is looking at a state jail felony that could result in 2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The warden did find a box with a bar code that allowed him to trace the materials to a local store and, ultimately, the owner of the credit card used for the purchase. The warden interviewed the cardholder, who had just completed a home remodel for his family. He told the warden someone familiar with his family had offered to haul off the unused materials for a small fee. The suspect kept the money and dumped the trash onto private property.

The guy was caught red-handed, too. He still had some of the materials in his truck.

This is a dumb way to end up in a heap of trouble. But when Texas said "Don't mess with me," Texas sure meant it.