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citizen-led sting operation in Catonville, Maryland, targeted a woman who was allegedly selling unauthorized rental agreements for homes she had no connection to. The sting led to an unrelated arrest and highlighted the challenges law enforcement faces when policing suspected squatter incidents.
Licensed realtor Amanda Newby from RE/MAX in Laurel, Maryland, advised her client to contact the advertiser of a potential rental home before starting the leasing process. When they arrived at the property on July 7, both women were alarmed by the advertiser's claims that the owners were overseas and not returning anytime soon. Newby looked up the property's listing agent and contacted the Baltimore County property management company.
Melissa Hargreaves, owner of Peace of Mind Property Management in Ellicott City, Maryland, took Newby's call and was "very unhappy" because her company had just accepted a rental application for the Catonsville home. Hargreaves secured the property, called the police, but they couldn't do much unless they saw something happening.
Hargreaves decided to collaborate with Newby and her client to lure the alleged advertiser to the temporarily vacant home on July 8. They reviewed text messages that allegedly showed the woman agreeing to meet for a supposed lease and exchange a $4,000 rental fee in cash or through CashApp.
Minutes before the couple arrived at the Catonsville house, Hargreaves called the police about an active burglary. The police arrested Tennille Charlotte Williams (also known as Tennille McLeod) for an unrelated probation violation warrant from Montgomery County. Williams was not charged with any crime related to the Catonsville home.
Court records show that McLeod pleaded guilty to embezzlement in 2020, defrauding a charity of at least $32,355.54. An online search revealed that McLeod registered "Bad Bodiez Billards" in July 2024 with the state.
Hargreaves has successfully filed a statement of charges against McLeod for fourth-degree burglary in Baltimore County District Court. When pressed about why officers didn't charge McLeod related to the home, BCPD explained that officers have discretion and each incident is uniquely different.
