First, he built a 75-foot-tall pile of waste on his yard. Then he refused to clean it up. Now he’s lost control of his bank accounts.

In a decision made on Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Maritza Berdote Byrne appointed a receiver to take control of assets belonging to Joseph Wallace, the Vernon resident who spent years using his residential property as an illegal dump.

The receiver will marshal Wallace’s assets and hire personnel to make sure that the work is done to cleanup any environmental contamination caused by the long-running dumping operation.

“Mr. Wallace has consistently avoided obligations consented to by him or otherwise imposed upon him by the court,” Berdote Byrne wrote in her decision. “Thus, while it is rare for courts to appoint receivers, it is also rare for three court orders to go entirely ignored.”

Jeffrey Patti, Wallace’s attorney, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The receiver appointment comes after a request filed in September by the state, which sought the enforcement measures as a way to force Wallace to comply with multiple court orders that he had ignored.

Three days before argument was scheduled for the state’s request, Patti requested a postponement because he was taking a vacation. Berdote Byrne rejected the request, and in the court’s view Wallace failed to file a defense.

Wallace has been repeatedly ordered to turnover all documentation related to his waste pile, characterize the materials making up the pile, place funds into escrow for future cleanup, implement a soil erosion and sediment control plan for his property, and remove all material that is considered solid waste from the pile. He has done none of that, according to the state.

“All across the state, we’re taking on polluters using all the tools available to us," New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement. "That’s why I was proud to stand up for the residents of Vernon, and why I’m especially glad that the court listened to our arguments and ordered strong measures to ensure that the 75-foot dump is finally cleaned up. The fight to protect our environment continues.”

Pat Distasi, a neighbor of Wallace’s who has been among the most vocal local opponents of the dumping, called the court’s decision “great news.”

“After all these years, at least we have something moving towards getting this remediated," Distasi said. "I think that the Attorney General has brought a solid case.”

Vernon Mayor Harry Shortway said he hopes what is unfolding in Vernon sets an example for how illegal dumping should be treated across New Jersey.

“I hope this spreads throughout the state," Shortway said. "It’s about time we get very aggressive with these dirt dumpers.”

The state also asked the court to begin fining Wallace up to $150,000 for each day that he violated the court orders. Berdote Byrne denied that request — for now. The judge made clear in her decision that she was holding off on the fines because she wanted to ensure there was enough money for cleanup work first.

“Until assets are identified and marshalled, it is of paramount importance this court preserve any assets for site remediation first, before assessing fines and penalties,” Berdote Byrne wrote.

Since at least 2011, Wallace had dump trucks bringing material from mostly unknown sources to his property on Silver Spruce Drive, a private road in a quiet residential neighborhood. NJ Advance Media detailed the activity in an in-depth report published in February.

Testing done by the state has since found that samples from the pile contained polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs,) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the pesticide chemical chlordane all at levels above the state’s standard for residential soil.

PAHs are classified as probable human carcinogens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PCBs are also linked cancer, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as pregnancy complications and other health effects. Exposure to chlordane, according to the CDC, can have a variety of effects on the human nervous system.

As the Superior Court case continues, Wallace is also facing jail time and more than $50,000 in fines in municipal court for dozens of violations of Vernon’s local ordinances. Wallace was supposed to report to Sussex County jail last week, but the sentence has been stayed after Wallace began the appeals process.

Read Judge Berdote Byrne’s full decision here.

Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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