In a recent sentencing, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz declared that True Jackson, aged 41, will serve two to four years in prison for burglarizing a single-family home in St. Albans. According to an announcement from the Queens District DA's Office, Jackson had illegally taken residence in the vacant property, gone so far as to list it as his official place of residence. The house's legal owners, having moved out months prior, noticed unfamiliar activity at their property, which led to an investigation and eventually Jackson's arrest.
The case unfolded when family members of the homeowner informed authorities about the unauthorized use of the property. An investigation by the Housing and Worker Protection Bureau, under DA Katz's purview, found that Jackson had no legitimate claim to the residence. According to Katz, "This defendant thought he could help himself to a vacant home that was not his." During the incident that brought the squatters to light, police responded to a domestic dispute, during which Jackson along with his stepbrother and stepbrother's girlfriend, reported the illegally occupied house as their official place of residence, as per the Queens District DA's Office.
Justice Gary Miret of the Supreme Court sentenced Jackson, declaring him as a predicate felon. Meanwhile, Jackson's stepbrother and girlfriend had previously pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and were given conditional discharges. A forged lease with Jackson's name came to light during the execution of a search warrant at the property, adding further evidence to the case against them.
Moreover, several pit bulls were discovered kept in the basement in seemingly good condition, "An investigation by my Housing and Worker Protection Bureau revealed that he had no claim to the property," Katz stated, as reported by the Queens District District Attorney's Office. The dogs were subsequently taken into the care of animal control. Assistant District Attorney William Jorgenson prosecuted the case, with assistance by ADA Brian Gersh and Deputy Bureau Chief Christina Hanophy, under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard A. Brave.
