Rodriguez, who was recently seen in Queens Criminal Court, has defended his actions, claiming that he was unaware of any wrongdoing.
According to the Daily Mail, Rodriguez was indicted nearly three months ago on charges of burglary, grand larceny, and other crimes related to his illegal occupation of a house owned by Adele Andalaro. The accused, dressed in navy trousers and a blue button-down shirt, appeared calm as he entered the courtroom with his mother.
July 03, 2024
Rodriguez maintained his innocence, stating, "It was a lease somebody got me. It's a fake lease, pretty much, now. I didn't know that at the time." He further insisted that he was not hiding in the house. Currently, Rodriguez is under house arrest, equipped with a GPS-enabled ankle monitor, and is only permitted to leave for work and court appearances.
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The saga began in February when Andalaro, who inherited the house from her parents, discovered that the front door and locks had been changed and squatters, including Rodriguez, had moved in and refused to leave. The situation escalated into a heated confrontation, with Andalaro accusing Rodriguez of "stealing her house." The incident took a bizarre turn when Andalaro was the one arrested when the police arrived. The video of her arrest went viral, sparking national outrage over the apparent rights of squatters over legal homeowners.
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Andaloro expressed her frustration to ABC7 New York, stating, "It's not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to be going through this." In New York State, squatters who openly and adversely occupy a property for 10 uninterrupted years can make an adverse possession claim, provided they have paid property taxes over that decade. However, in New York City, squatters are granted rights after just 30 days, necessitating landlords to initiate eviction proceedings as soon as a squatter is discovered.
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Rodriguez defended his actions, insisting that he 'never disrespected Ms. Andalaro.' He claimed that the video made him appear aggressive, which he says was not the case. He explained, "I didn't realize she was behind the door. There were other guys in the house; it's just how the media portrayed me."
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Initially, Rodriguez was facing up to 15 years in prison, but this has now been reduced to 1 1/2 to 3 years. During his court appearance, Queens Judge Toni Cimino questioned the purpose of the day's proceedings. Defense attorney Nicholas Dayan informed the judge that he had been appointed to the case just a week ago and that his client was not interested in taking a plea at this time and is prepared to go to trial.
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District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the seriousness of the charges, stating, "Criminal charges will be pursued when you unlawfully occupy someone else's home. You cannot just enter a home without permission, then stay without permission and later claim vested rights simply because the legitimate owner is unaware and has been unable to remove you for 30 days."
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Despite the charges, Rodriguez continues to assert his innocence, claiming that he is a victim himself. He stated, "I didn't do anything wrong. There's plenty of evidence. The police camera shows everything I did." His lawyer, who was hired based on his successful representation of two of Rodriguez's friends, described the case as 'interesting' and expressed his intention to get "no jailtime" for Rodriguez.
The Queens DA's office confirmed that the case is still pending, with a spokesperson stating, "We have no further comment outside of our April press release." As the case continues to unfold, it raises critical questions about property rights and the legal protections afforded to homeowners versus squatters, highlighting the need for a thorough examination of existing laws and their enforcement.
