CRIME-FREE HOUSING? A Council candidate's criminal tenants, Part 2

Continued from Part One


COLUMBIA, 3/11/10  (Beat Byte) --  For the second time in three years, Third Ward Columbia City Council candidate Gary Kespohl (right) has staked his campaign on fighting crime. 

 

"Gary Kespohl stands with our crime fighters," his campaign website declares.  "Kudos to the men and women on the front lines of pub­lic safety in our com­mu­nity...."
http://gary4council.com/2010/02/25/gary-kespohl-stands-with-our-crime-fighters/

"We must keep our fam­i­lies and our neigh­bors safe from crime," reads another page.  "Since Jan 1, 2009, there have been almost 3,000 police calls to White­gate in Columbia’s third ward.  This is why I want to crack down on crime in Columbia."  http://gary4council.com/2010/02/23/crime-in-columbia/

 

But as the owner and manager of several dozen rental properties in Columbia and Boone County, Mr. Kespohl isn't cracking down on crime at all.  

 

Columbia police officers and Boone County Sheriff's deputies have arrested and Boone County courts have convicted his tenants dozens of times in the past decade, for burglary, assault, sodomy, stealing, illegal immigration, child endangerment, drugs, resisting arrest -- even failure to register as a sex offender.  Mr. Kespohl has also filed roughly two dozen lawsuits against tenants for failure to pay rent and/or property damage during the same period, statistics that suggest flawed or lax tenant screening procedures.   

 

City policy regards landlords renting to criminal offenders as contrary to community safety.  So-called "nuisance rental property ordinances" that list crime as a "nuisance activity" join Columbia police department (CPD) programs like Crime Free Housing and Neighborhood Watch to reduce crime and criminals on rental property. 

 

To find out why Gary Kespohl is arguably enabling the very criminals he wants to fight, the Columbia Heart Beat interviewed him.   He did not answer every question, but he was generally candid, and did provide information about almost every tenant.  

Columbia Heart Beat (CHB):   Do you think landlords have any responsibility to reduce crime, and if so, how would you define that responsiblity?

 

Gary Kespohl:  Did not answer. 

 

 

CHB:   Do you screen your tenants for criminal backgrounds?  

 

Gary Kespohl:   We have every applicant complete an application for residency.   We check their names through Missouri Casenet and check their references, both personal and previous landlords.   If anything shows up of a criminal nature in the past 5 years, we have a sit down visit with the applicant and try to determine the circumstances under which the incident occurred. 

 

Many times we deny the person or persons occupancy with us based on this procedure.  In some cases, we have given the applicant a second chance and they have been very good tenants.  We have evicted 12 residents in the past 6 years who have had ongoing problems with the police or upon whom we have received an arrest report from the Columbia police department.   We do not get involved in their lives, only to the extent of helping them become better citizens of Columbia. 

 

 

CHB:   How do you define "nuisance property?"  

 

Gary Kespohl:  Did not answer. 

 

 

CHB:   You say that you strongly support our police and law enforcement officials.  But don't you think that by renting to criminal offenders, you're adding to the police burden?

 

Gary Kespohl:  Did not answer. 

 

 

CHB:  Do your leases incorporate the City of Columbia Crime Free Housing addenda?  

 

Gary Kespohl:  Did not answer. 

 

 

CHB:  For properties in city limits, Columbia police officer Tim Thomason sends letters to landlords whenever their tenants are arrested.  But several of your tenants were arrested multiple times, for multiple offenses.  Did you receive Thomason's letters?   If so, what corrective measures did you take?

 

Gary Kespohl:  Over the years I have received about a dozen letters from Tim Thomason.  Not nearly the number you said I should have received.  [Several of Mr. Kespohl's rentals are in the county, which doesn't have a similar program]. 

 

 

CHB:  Here's what arrest records show about tenants of your properties at 1304 and 1306 Lowe St.  What do you want voters to know about the individual circumstances here?

Jamica Marie Kelly, 25, of 1304 Lowe St., first-degree child endangerment, first offense of DWI/DUI
David Paul Steinwand, 46, of 1306 Lowe St., possession of a controlled substance

 

Gary Kespohl:  Jamica Marie Kelly had a child endangerment charge in January 2003 and was asked to move. She moved in April 2003.  David Paul Steinwand was charged with drug possession and attempt to distribute.  We were notified by Tim Thomason of these charges and he was evicted. 

 

 

CHB:  Here's what the records show about tenants of your property at 4708 Pierre Street.  What do you want voters to know about the individual circumstances here?

Candias Danyelle Burnett, 28, of 4708 Pierre St., peace disturbance, failure to wear a seat belt, speeding, two municipal misdemeanor warrants
Rickey Donell Carter, 50, of 4708 Pierre St., third-degree domestic assault

 

Gary Kespohl:  Candis Danyelle Burnett was not an original tenant but moved in with her mother during her mother's lease. She was evicted with her mother and boyfriend.  Ricky Donell Carter had no incidents on Casenet and his previous landlord gave him a good reference.  He was evicted for rent and possession along with his girlfriend and his girlfriends’ daughter.

 

 

CHB:  Here's what arrest records show about tenants of your property at 919 Sondra Ave.   What do you want voters to know about the individual circumstances here?

 

Rodney Allen Holcomb, 34, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court, third-degree domestic assault
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 34, of 919 Sondra Ave., third-degree domestic assault
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 34, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 34, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 35, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 35, of 919 Sondra Ave., two counts of failure to appear
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 36, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court
Rodney Allen Holcomb, 38, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court, out-of-county warrant
Gary Lynn Holcomb, 41, of 919 Sondra Ave., use/possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance
Tamera Lynn Davison, 39, of 919 Sondra Ave., failure to appear in court

 

Gary Kespohl:  Gary Lynn Holcomb was charged with drug possessions and attempt to distribute.  We were notified by the city prosecuting attorney by letter and evicted the tenant.  Tamera Lynn Davison was evicted for rent and possession in 2008. 

 

 

CHB:   Here's what arrest records show about tenants of your property at 1503 Tupelo Place.   What do you want voters to know about the individual circumstances here?

Mark Allen Anderson, 32, of 1503 Tupelo Place, fugitive from justice
Mark Allen Anderson, 32, of 1503 Tupelo Place, failure to follow judge’s orders
Mark Allen Anderson, 33, of 1503 Tupelo Place, probation-and-parole violation
Cassandra Marie Collins, 35, of 1503 Tupelo Place, third-degree domestic assault
Cassandra Marie Collins, 36, of 1503 Tupelo Place, possession of under 35 grams of marijuana, second-degree property damage

Gary Kespohl:  Mark Allen Anderson was listed as a fugitive from justice for leaving the state of Kansas. His suits were the result of a divorce in Kansas. Mark has worked for the Special Business District for the past 10 years.

Cassandra Marie Collins' drug charge was incurred in 2004, after she rented from us.

 

 

CHB:   Here's what arrest records show about tenants of your property at 1507 Tupelo Place.   What do you want voters to know about the individual circumstances here?

Corlet Isadore Spears, 28, of 1507 Tupelo Place, failure to appear in court
Chanel Roshan Taylor, 33, of 1507 Tupelo Place, third offense stealing
Chanel Roshan Taylor, 33, of 1507 Tupelo Place, probation-and-parole violation
Chanel Roshan Taylor, 33, of 1507 Tupelo Palce, stealing, probation-and-parole violation, two counts failure to appear in court

Gary Kespohl:    Corlet Isadore Spears had a $10 bond forfeiture for failure to appear.  Chanel Roshan Taylor's offenses occurred prior to her renting from us.  We background checked Chanel and visited with her and decided to give her a chance.  She had no incidents while renting from us.  [Court records conflict with this statement]. 

 

Finally, the following individuals gave a Kespohl-owned rental address during 27 separate arrests.  But Mr. Kespohl told the Heart Beat that he did not lease property to any of these individuals.  "They may have moved in with someone who was living there, but were unknown to us, or they simply gave the police an incorrect address at time of arrest," Mr. Kespohl explained.

Odis Robinson, 23, of 753 Demaret Drive, stealing
Odis Robinson, 23, of 753 Demaret Drive, out-of-county warrant
Odis Robinson, 23, of 753 Demaret, stealing, resisting arrest, first-degree
trespassing, first-degree robbery, two counts of failure to appear in court
Marcella Dean Henderson, 36, of 753 Demaret Drive, third-degree assault

 

Edgar Eduardo Riojas-Olivares, 23, of 755 Demaret Drive, driving while intoxicated
Edgar Eduardo Riojas-Olivares, 22, of 755 Demaret Drive, misdemeanor warrant.
Edgar Eduardo Riojas-Olivares, 19, of 755 Demaret Drive, driving while
license is suspended or revoked
Edgar Eduardo Riojas-Olivares, 17, of 755 Demaret Drive, first-degree burglary
Edgar Eduardo Riojas-Olivares, 17, of 755 Demaret Drive, attempted first-degree burglary
Jeremy David Lee, 20, of 755 Demaret Drive, third-degree assault

 

Marvin Dawayne Porter, 24, of 757 Demaret Drive, out-of-county warrant
Lester Craig Cupp, 21, of 757 Demaret Drive, Apt. A, failure to follow judge's orders
Jason Edwin Cox, 25, of 757 Demaret Drive, third-degree assault
Jason Edwin Cox, 25, of 757 Demaret Drive, third-degree domestic assault
Thalessia Leanne Hayes, 21, of 757 Demaret Drive, misdemeanor warrant
Martin Vasquez Pedrosa, 23, of 757 Demaret Drive, immigration detainer
Martin Vasquez Pedroza, 24, of 757 Demaret Drive, third-degree domestic assault
Martin Vasquez Pedroza, 24, of 757 Demaret Drive, third-degree domestic assault
Thomas Lee Turner, 31, of 757 Demaret Drive, third-degree assault

 

Pepper Lynsey Rowe, 19, of 4616 Pierre St., driving while license is suspended or revoked, failure to appear in court, out-of-county warrant

Robert Michael Lengyel, 35, of 1304 Lowe St., leaving the scene of an accident
Larry Wayne Hollingsworth, 31, of 1304 Lowe St., peace disturbance.

Kennes Lerod Scaife, 30, of 1503 Tupelo Place, probation-and-parole violation, no bond set
Remanda Ramee Parker, 19, of 1503 Tupelo Place, Apt. A, failure to appear in court

Calvin Bryant Pettey, 34, of 1507 Tupelo Place, first-degree child endangerment, first-degree statutory sodomy
Teresa Ann Allen, 24, of 1507 Tupelo Place, out-of-county warrant
Teresa Ann Allen, 23, of 1507 Tupelo Place, out-of-county warrant

 

Part One of this report

 

3 comments:

1. 
   AnonymousMarch 12, 2010 at 2:16 AM

   What, exactly, does "did not answer" mean? Did he sit there and not speak? Did he say "no comment"? Did he say something that avoided the question? Or, as just occurred to me, when you say you interviewed him do you actually mean that you sent him the questions and he replied in writing? Thank you.

   Reply
    
    
2.  
   Michael MartinMarch 12, 2010 at 5:26 AM

   All the questions were in writing, with roughly a two-week deadline. "Did not answer" means no answer was received.

   Reply
    
    
3. 
   AnonymousMarch 12, 2010 at 9:21 AM

   Gotta love journalism (if you can call it that) via e-mail/mail.