He’s going to be squatting behind bars.
A sham landlord whose topsy-turvy takeover of a girl’s $1 million home in Queens ignited fears of predatory squatters within the metropolis was sentenced Friday to 2 years in jail.
The sentence ends a weird saga during which Vary Rover-riding Brian Rodriguez, 36, in 2024 not solely rented out rooms within the Flushing house, but additionally satisfied NYPD cops that its rightful proprietor, Adele Andaloro, was wrongfully evicting him.
The confused cops even handcuffed Andaloro whereas a information crew filmed — a caught-on-video second that she stated turned out to assist her trigger.
“It bought uglier earlier than it bought higher, and I’m simply pleased every part’s performed now,” she stated outdoors the Queens courtroom Friday.
Andaloro had inherited the a hundred and sixtieth Avenue house from her dad and mom, however had arrived in February 2024 to search out it full of squatters and the locks modified.
She noticed Rodriguez and, after she finally confronted him, he claimed to be leasing the house.
The baffling state of affairs culminated in a weird blowup during which Rodriguez, after Andaloro had the locks changed, stormed his approach into the house.
Cops arrived and escorted Andaloro off the property.
Rodriguez contended he had been unlawfully evicted, telling The Submit afterward {that a} mysterious benefactor named “Ronnie Ferg” that he met at a laundromat had scammed him into “renting” the home.
New York Metropolis legislation permits folks to say squatter’s proper after being on the property for 30 days.
Queens prosecutors finally accused Rodriguez of falsely claiming to be a authorized tenant dealing with eviction and harassment.
He pleaded responsible in January to falsely reporting an incident, resulting in his sentencing.
The sham squatter confirmed up in Queens court docket wearing a black sweatsuit, with two girls by his facet. Because the listening to unfolded, one of many girls sobbed loudly.
“Brian Rodriguez thought that he may get away with squatting inside another person’s house and make a revenue for himself primarily based on his fictitious account of being a tenant,” stated Queens District Lawyer Melinda Katz in a press release.
Andaloro informed reporters that she couldn’t stand by whereas Rodriguez tried to steal her household house.
She had a easy want after the entire ordeal: “Return to an everyday, boring on a regular basis life.”
Supply hyperlink
