NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – An alleged squatter was indicted on Thursday for illegally occupying a single-family home in Queens and renting out rooms to others, prosecutors said.
Brian Rodriguez, 35, from Queens, was arraigned on charges of a five-count indictment charging him with burglary in the second degree, grand larceny in the fourth degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, criminal trespass in the second degree and criminal mischief in the fourth degree.
According to prosecutors, Rodriguez allegedly occupied a house in Flushing. The owner, Adele Andaloro, changed the locks but Rodriguez forced himself back inside the home and claimed that he was a legal tenant but had no proof.
On Feb. 17, Andaloro visited her inherited 160th Street home and found the front door locks had been changed, despite it being unoccupied and unchanged during her last visit on Jan. 21.
For the next couple of days, Andaloro saw Rodriguez inside her home, whom she had never met and had not given permission to access the property.
Andaloro confronted Rodriguez on Feb. 19 and claimed that he was leasing the property but did not provide any leasing company, individual or agent.
A few days later, Andaloro noticed others staying in her house without her permission. When one of them left the front door open, she went inside and found several new locks had been added to the door.
She called a locksmith and changed the locks right away. On the same day, Rodriguez returned and forcefully entered the house, pushing the door open while the homeowner tried to keep it closed and ordered him to leave.
Police arrived at the scene and Rodriguez allegedly claimed that he was a legal tenant being harassed by the owner to unlawfully evict him. Andaloro was removed from the property, according to court documents.
Andaloro met with the Queens District Attorney’s office and an investigation was launched by the District Attorney’s Housing and Worker Protection Bureau.
“Criminal charges will be pursued when you unlawfully occupy someone else’s home,” Katz said. “You cannot just enter a home and claim you have a right to stay. You cannot first enter a home without permission, then stay without permission and later claim vested rights simply because the legitimate owner is unaware or has been unable to remove you for 30 days. The defendant in this case is alleged to have entered and stayed in this home unlawfully. He has now been charged with burglary and grand larceny.”
If convicted Rodriguez faces up to 15 years in prison.