A landlord in Hampton, David L. Merryman, 59, pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment.
In January , News 3 covered that Merryman made threats and racial comments to his tenants.
Watch: Hampton landlord charged, indicted for harassing Black tenants & defrauding government
Hampton landlord charged, indicted for harassing Black tenants & defrauding government
“He called me a N**** lover and told me that I didn’t pay my bills like other White people do,” Samantha Feeley told News 3’s Leondra Head. “I had Black roommates so that was a problem with him.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Merryman owned 62 rental properties, 39 in Newport News and 23 more in Hampton. He would target low-income neighborhoods, with the intent to evict African-American tenants with limited credit and housing options.
Merryman also engaged in a multi-facted scheme for over 5 years, implying he would lease the rentals for longer terms while intending to evict them as quickly as possible and gain high initial payments, from 2019 to 2024 according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.