George Chambers. Contributed photo.
A former Masury man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for squatting on property on Ulp Street in Masury.
George Chambers, 54, of Chesapeake, Va., pleaded guilty April 1 to felony counts of trespass and theft. Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice passed sentence May 29.
A co-defendant, Tianna M. Borja, 28, of Sharon, pleaded guilty April 16 to misdemeanor counts of criminal damaging and criminal trespass. Judge Andrew Logan sentenced her to 1 year of probation on June 18.
Brookfield police said a family member of the owner of property in the 8100 block of Ulp Street called Aug. 27 and reported that there was a camper on the property and a chain and lock on a gate was missing. The owner was in an assisted living home and the family member had been checking on the property, police said.
Police said they found that a water hose and an electrical extension cord were running to the camper.
When police asked what Chambers and Borja, who were in the camper, were doing, Chambers said that he knew the property owner a long time ago and the property owner said Chambers could come over any time, police said. Chambers said he had saved the property owner from “a $100,000 bill back at the bar.”
Chambers said he had been at the house for about two weeks, and had mowed the grass, cut up a tree and paid the property taxes.
The victim “insisted that he did not know Chambers or give him permission to be on his property,” police said.
Police said a side door to the victim’s house was open and the relative reported that things inside were out of place, things were there that did not belong there and a bedroom padlock on a door had been broken.
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