THE MONEY TRAIL
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, plagued with legal battles and fees, last week took another hit for $674,191.
A jury ruled that the district retaliated against a former arson investigator who reported a subordinate's alleged wrongdoing to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office. The jury awarded Gary Monk $574,191 in economic damages and $100,000 in pain and suffering, court documents show.
Monk's cooperation with the DA was "a motivating reason for the fire district's conduct," the jury found.
"My client reported that another arson investigator was falsifying police reports and doing traffic stops and violating people's civil rights," said Monk's attorney Mark Velez. "As a result, we alleged, the fire district demoted Mr. Monk twice and then forced him to retire."
The district's insurer, Volunteer Fireman's Insurance Services Inc., plans to appeal, according to a statement from Joe Chavez, Metro Fire's associate general counsel.
"The jury's decision, part of which was favorable to Mr. Monk and part of which was favorable to the district, all arises from conduct that occurred from 1999-2003 under former administrators," Chavez wrote.
The Monk case has been working its way through Sacramento Superior Court since 2004. The insurance agency is covering legal fees for the case.
– Terri Hardy
Send tips to moneytrail@sacbee.com
ON YOUR GUARD
Beware of phony landlords, detective warns renters
Some prospective renters using Craigslist have lost thousands of dollars to phony landlords who have nothing to rent.
Sacramento Police Detective Mike Wood arrested a man and a woman who he said posed as landlords in separate incidents, collected security deposits and rent in cash, then took off.
Michael Eugene Blair, 28, is serving 300 days for obtaining money by false pretenses. Wood said Blair rented a Natomas town house and paid rent with bounced checks while he advertised the unit for rent. He showed the property to five prospective tenants, each of whom gave him money, Wood said. All were planning to move in on the same day.
Blair was caught after one would-be renter asked a relative to check property records and discovered the scam.
In a similar case, Wood said, India Slaughter has been arrested on suspicion of grand theft after she rented out a Sacramento home she was renting.
Wood alleges that Slaughter was behind in her rent and advertised the house, took money from renters, moved out and let them move in. The real owner showed up to evict Slaughter and found a new family in the house.
Wood warned that the prevalence of foreclosed homes provides crooks an opportunity. They could break in, change the locks and present the home as a rental. Don't be afraid to ask for identification or a property deed, Wood said, or check assessor records.
Stick to reputable rental agencies, and if the rent is too good to be true …
– M.S. Enkoji
Send your consumer alert tips to publiceye@sacbee.com
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