EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Two people were arrested on Thursday, April 24, for illegal dumping in a desert area in far East El Paso, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Lilia De La Riva, 79, and Refugio Alvarez Valdez, 61, were arrested on illegal dumping warrants.
Both De La Riva and Valdez were booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a $2,500 bond each.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, on Wednesday, April 23, the East Montana Patrol Station Criminal Investigations Unit was notified of a video posted by FitFam showing a citizen confronting an individual engaged in illegal dumping in a desert area near Montana Vista.
Investigators located the dumping site and determined roughly 110 cubic feet of trash had been dumped, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Warrants were made for the arrest of De La Riva and Valdez.
In addition to the arrest of De La Riva and Valdez, the vehicle that was used during the dumping was impounded.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.

DJ Kamal Mustafa
I’m DJ Kamal Mustafa, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of EMEA Tribune, a digital news platform that focuses on critical stories from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. With a deep passion for investigative journalism, I’ve built a reputation for delivering exclusive, thought-provoking reports that highlight the region’s most pressing issues.
I’ve been a journalist for over 10 years, and I’m currently associated with EMEA Tribune, ARY News, Daily Times, Samaa TV, Minute Mirror, and many other media outlets. Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to uncovering the truth and providing valuable insights that inform and engage the public.