Twin brothers Juan Gonzalez-Osorio and Justo Gonzalez-Osorio, both 47, were taken into custody after deputies said their Redland property had been used to pipe raw sewage into wetlands that abut the Everglades. Investigators also reported finding a pond on the land with heavy algae and very high bacteria levels, along with several animals kept without adequate food or water.
Deputies Describe Hidden Hookups And Foul Contamination
Deputies say aerial surveillance on Jan. 20, 2026, and a search warrant executed Jan. 22 revealed multiple modular structures and RVs hooked into unapproved sewage treatment and disposal systems, including overflow pipes and pumps that routed liquid effluent into neighboring wetlands. Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies returned to the property, which directly abuts the Everglades, on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to take the 47-year-old twins into custody.
Arrest documents say the brothers completed a pre-trial diversion program in 2023 after a prior dumping case, but deputies allege the setup on their land remained “substantially the same” three years later. Investigators found a pond clogged with algae that tested positive for E. coli and discovered four mares without access to water and a pig confined in an elevated crate; both men were arrested and charged with felony counts of willful disregard for the environment and willful disregard of water pollution laws, and Juan faces five counts of animal abandonment, according to Local 10.
Crackdown In Redland Targets Repeat Sewage Offenders
Miami-Dade County has used surveillance and targeted enforcement against illegal dumping in the rural Redland area, as outlined in a county press release about past twin arrests. A previous raw-sewage case in the area was covered earlier this year in a story titled raw sewage horror in Redland, underscoring recurring threats to wells and wetlands.
The presence of E. coli in on-site water is a serious public-health signal, and the CDC notes that positive E. coli or total coliform tests indicate fecal contamination and a potential pathway for gastrointestinal illness among private-well communities.
Felony Counts Put Legal Heat On Twin Brothers
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office says the men are charged with felony environmental counts and that one brother faces additional animal-abandonment charges, according to Local 10. Florida law treats willful pollution of waters as a third-degree felony carrying fines and up to five years in prison, and each day a continuing discharge can be treated as a separate offense, see Fla. Stat. 373.430.
The arrests add to a string of enforcement actions that officials say aim to protect groundwater and preserve nearby wetlands; court filings will determine whether prosecutors pursue the full slate of felony counts or seek other remedies. Records and upcoming court dates should be available through the Miami-Dade court system as the case moves forward.
