XPost: nyc.politics, sac.politics, soc.culture.jewish
XPost: alt.atheism

Two Brooklyn families harassed by a pair of slumlords to move
out of their rent-stabilized apartments believe justice has been
served — but lessons were not learned.

Zaida Paris and Michelle Crespo attended Brooklyn Supreme Court
on Wednesday for the sentencing of their former landlords Amrom
and Joel Israel — but the hearing didn’t go off as planned.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun gave the pair six
months last November to pay the families back almost $250,000
before they can be sentenced to five years' probation and
perform 500 hours of community service.

The brothers pleaded guilty for maliciously destroying eight of
their tenants’ apartments in 10 buildings throughout Bushwick,
Greenpoint and Williamsburg to push them out and charge higher
rent.

Prosecutor Gavin Miles only learned “within the last day or so”
that Amrom and Joel Israel fulfilled the monetary portion of
their plea, which did not get the court enough time to prepare
particular paperwork for sentencing.

If they hadn’t taken the plea, they would have faced up to 15
years in prison for the burglary.

Paris and Crespo were still allowed to give their victim impact
statements on Wednesday.

“I truly hope they learned their lessons because they don’t know
the heartache and despair our families went and are still going
through,” cried Paris, 50, who lived at 15 Humboldt St. since
1996 before she was subjected to their unscrupulous tactics.

From 2010 until 2014, the families had to endure destroyed

bathrooms, kitchens, holes in the floors and other unlivable
conditions.

Amrom, 39, and Joel, 36, illegally pushed out their tenants
paying $650 to $1,000 a month and replaced them with others who
forked over almost $3,500, prosecutors said.

“We went through 18 months without a kitchen and bathroom and
were so grateful when (late Brooklyn District Attorney) Ken
Thompson noticed our case,” said Crespo, 36, adding, “but I
don’t think they learned their lesson.”

The Israel brothers will return to court on Aug. 16 for
sentencing.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/tenants-forced-nyc- slumlord-brothers-fear-duo-won-change-article-1.3247315

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)