Man sentenced to 6 years for dumping oil into Stockton's Smith Canal

A man convicted of dumping oil into a Stockton canal in 2024 was sentenced to six years in prison, prosecutors said

David Sump was convicted of dumping about 280 gallons of oil product into the Smith Canal in Stockton in 2024, which was contained to a mile-and-a-half stretch. 

The judge in the case imposed a sentence consisting of the upper term of three years and doubled due to Sump's prior strike convictions, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office said.

This triggered a multi-agency response that included the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Stockton Police Department and San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office. 

It took weeks for investigators to gather evidence and interview witnesses, leading to Sump's arrest. 

The Coast Guard said no wildlife was seen covered in oil. 

Sump was convicted of felony charges of destruction of public property/vandalism, knowingly discharging a pollutant into waters of the state and illegal disposal of hazardous waste. He was convicted of misdemeanor pollution and dumping charges.