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Quiet Tenant Busted in Buffalo NY for Cocaine Possession

by | Apr 22, 2022 | Background Check Company, Background Check Services, Background Checks for Property Managers, Background Screening, Best Employment Screening Companies, Criminal Record Check, Education Verification, Employment Verification Services, Importance of Background Verification, News, Property Manager Background Check, Tenant Background Check

Why You Always Background Check Your Tenants

As a background check company, we use this blog to help demonstrate WHY background checks are important. Every once in a while a local news story can show us what we need to know. We’ve talked here on the blog in the past about serial embezzlers, even a potential serial killer Doctor, but today we wanted to focus on a tenant background check story. 

How Well Do You Know Your Tenants?

For property managers and owners of residential buildings, many times ensuring payment of rent is the most important factor in choosing whether or not a person is rewarded with residency. If a person seems like they can pay, they usually get the apartment. This is fine if you know everything you need to know about the person, but what if you don’t?

A Stop Leading to a Search

Just this month, an individual was stopped on Route 33 in Cheektowaga. Once the vehicle was stopped, a search found the individual in possession of more than a half an ounce of cocaine packaged for sale. Upon arresting the individual, the Sherrif’s Office, along with help from the FBI searched the individual’s 2 rental residences, one in Cheektowaga and one in Buffalo NY.

Dealer Dealings

Upon searching the tenant’s apartments, authorities uncovered the makings of a drug-dealing operation. More than four ounces of cocaine and high amounts of money were found at each residence. Following the arrest and subsequent searches, the individual was charged with the following crimes:

  • criminal possession of a controlled substance (two counts)
  • criminal possession of a narcotic with intent to sell (three counts)
  • criminal possession of a loaded firearm (three counts)
  • criminal possession of a narcotic
  • criminal use of drug paraphernalia (four counts)

Read More – WIVB- 3 searches lead to multiple charges against alleged cocaine dealer

Always Background Check Your Tenants

This case was thankfully taken care of by the authorities before anything truly went wrong, and a criminal has been taken into custody. That’s good news, but a cold reminder that if you don’t background check your prospective tenants, you never really know who they are or what they could be doing. This individual was clearly using the rental properties to serve a darker purpose than just a place to sleep.

If you have any questions about your current tenant background screening process or want to talk to a professional background check company, just give us a call or reach out via our contact form! We are always here to help serve you!