Some years back, there were some landlords who were bought in for
violations and they were fined so heavy, they left AP. I think that
was the case. Not sure of it was the vurrent judge. Don't beleive so.
So I thought it would be a good subject for an article on my National
Landlord Tenant site - RentLaw.com.
Here is another example of a landlord going to jail. I know, Werner is
not a landlord. However, it deals with property opwners being
sentenced to jail. Dan could probably recall the famous case in NYC
were the guy went to jail...
off the web:
Rockford landlord Wayne Johnson will serve 180 days in the Winnebago
County Jail after squalid and substandard living conditions at one of
his apartment buildings prompted criminal charges.
Judge Brian Shore also ordered Johnson to serve 24 monthsâ probation
and bring his property at 850 N. Court St. into full city code
compliance or have it torn down. Johnson must also pay $2,500 in
fines, $250 of which will go to CrimeStoppers.
Johnson, who was found guilty at trial in April, will begin serving
his jail sentence Sept. 10.
Johnson, 67, owns about two dozen rental properties in the city. The
criminal property management charges against him stem from numerous
housing code violations discovered at the Court Street building in
August 2005.
Tenants at Johnsonâs four-family property at Court and Whitman streets
reported on-again, off-again electrical service, a lack of smoke
detectors, no hot water, toilets that wouldnât flush, appliances that
didnât work, an overwhelming smell of urine in the basement and roach
and flea infestation.
All four units of the property, which has since been condemned, were
being rented at the time of the violations. Johnson charged tenants
$400 a month.
The stateâs criminal housing management statute has been used only a
handful of times in Winnebago County in recent years.
The charge allows the city to obtain harsher punishments, including
jail time, against landlords in severe cases, when the level of health
and safety violations is more egregious than a simple violation of
city code.
âWe are very pleased with the judgeâs sentence. He considered evidence
from several properties at the sentencing hearing showing that this
defendant has been noncompliant for several years at other properties,
too,â said Winnebago County Assistant Stateâs Attorney Geannette
Wittendorf. âIt was important in this case and with this sentence to
send a message to not only this defendant but to all other property
owners in Winnebago County. This type of noncompliance and treatment
of human beings is deplorable.â
Johnsonâs attorney, John Nelson, said he will appeal the courtâs
decision and seek to postpone Johnsonâs imprisonment.
âFor the first offense, we think 180 days is excessive,â Nelson said.
âI was somewhat surprised at the judgeâs decision to deny periodic
imprisonment or work release. Weâre very much disappointed with that.
... Iâll be applying to the court to postpone punishment pending the
outcome of an appeal.â
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