2 days ago
The New York City man accused of squatting successful a $1 cardinal location - moreover earning money by renting retired bedrooms to others - gave an astonishing excuse astatine tribunal for a video that showed him barging into nan residence while its rightful proprietor was inside.
Brian 'Jay' Rodriguez was backmost successful Queens Criminal Court Monday and appeared earlier a judge astir 3 months aft he was indicted connected charges of burglary, expansive larceny, and different crimes for illegally occupying Adele Andalaro's home.
Dressed successful navy trousers and a bluish button-down shirt, Rodriguez appeared composed arsenic he entered nan courtroom pinch his mother, who was stepping pinch a cane, by his side.
He told DailyMail.com that he 'didn't do a point wrong,' and appeared assured that nan attorney's would activity it out.
'It was a lease personification sewage me. It's a clone lease, beautiful much, now. I didn't cognize that astatine nan time,' he insisted extracurricular nan courtroom.
'I wasn't hiding successful nan house.'
Brian 'Jay' Rodriguez was backmost successful Queens Criminal Court connected Monday. He appeared calm arsenic he walked pinch his mother. In April, he was indicted connected charges of burglary, expansive larceny, and different crimes, accused of illegally occupying Adele Andalaro's family location successful Flushing
Adele Andalaro, pictured extracurricular her Roslyn Heights home, inherited nan single-family location successful Queens and was outraged erstwhile she discovered squatters had taken it over
Rodriguez is ironically nether location apprehension now pinch a GPS-equipped ankle show and only allowed to task retired for activity and tribunal appearances.
The ordeal began successful February erstwhile Andalaro went to her home, which she inherited from her parents, and noticed that nan beforehand doorway and locks had been changed - and that squatters had moved successful and refused to leave.
Shocked, Andalaro confronted Rodriguez, shouting astatine him for 'stealing her house' which led to an explosive confrontation that astatine 1 constituent saw Rodriguez trying to break down nan beforehand door.
In a bizarre twist, erstwhile constabulary arrived, it was Andalaro who was handcuffed and arrested. The video of nan apprehension went viral, and made nationalist headlines pinch galore outraged that squatters appeared to person much authorities than nan ineligible owners.
Rodriguez addressed nan confrontation Monday and insisted he 'never disrespected Ms. Andalaro.'
'It wasn't that I was screaming astatine her. That video make maine look for illustration an animal and it wasn't for illustration that,' he stated.
'I didn't recognize she was down nan door,' he explained. 'There were different guys successful nan location it's conscionable really nan media portrayed me.'
Rodriguez of East Flushing was initially facing up to 15 years successful situation but that has now been revised down to 1 1/2 to 3 years.
Andalaro's Flushing, Queens location that Rodriguez occupied and rented retired rooms in
When he was called to nan stand, Queens Judge Toni Cimino asked: 'What is nan volition here? I don't cognize what nan intent is for today's appearance.'
Defense lawyer Nicholas Dayan told nan judge that he was appointed to nan lawsuit conscionable a week agone - Rodiguez's erstwhile lawyer was Gerald Levine - and that his customer 'was not willing astatine this clip to return a plea' and is prepared to spell to trial.
The judge said that his customer needs to make judge he doesn't get 're-arrested,' and said he is owed backmost successful tribunal connected August 7.
District Attorney Melinda Katz said successful April erstwhile nan charges were announced.
'Criminal charges will beryllium pursued erstwhile you unlawfully inhabit personification else's home. You cannot conscionable participate a location without permission, past enactment without support and later declare vested authorities simply because nan morganatic proprietor is unaware and has been incapable to region you for 30 days,' she said.
'The suspect successful this lawsuit is alleged to person entered and stayed successful nan location unlawfully. He has now been charged pinch burglary and expansive larceny.'
Rodriguez insisted Monday he is innocent, and a unfortunate himself.
'I didn't do thing wrong. There's plentifulness of evidence. The constabulary camera shows everything I did,' he maintained.
Rodriguez stands pinch his mother wrong nan Queens courthouse connected Monday fresh to look nan judge
He proclaimed his innocence telling DailyMail.com that he 'did thing wrong'
His lawyer told DailyMail.com that Rodriguez approached him to correspond him aft he was nan lawyer for 2 of his friends, who some were facing criminal charges, and were acquitted.
'He told maine why he hired me. He said I helped 2 of his friends. It was criminal and it was worse [than Rodriguez's case].'
The lawyer called nan lawsuit 'interesting' and said that aft reviewing nan indictment and really they are charging him pinch a penal rule statute.
'Exactly really they are getting to a felony successful this lawsuit of burglary- they opportunity he took spot retired of nan location that he trespassed, truthful I americium going to spot if I tin disregard nan apical complaint by measurement of a mobility if they don't person it connected nan rule successful this case.'
He further stated: 'Right now nan connection is 1 and a half to 3 years. No motions person been filed. They haven't revenge nan certificate of compliance - meaning they haven't fixed america each their find and nan rule successful that circumstantial lawsuit is that we don't person to record our motions until they certify nan case.'
Dayan said location is still activity to do but, his scheme moving guardant is to get 'no jailtime' for Rodriguez.
The Queens DA's agency told DailyMail.com that nan 'case is still pending.'
We person nary further remark extracurricular of our April property release,' a spokesperson said.
