Landlord Accused Of Hiring Man To Scare Tenants

OLNEY, Md. (AP) -- Montgomery County Police have charged an Olney landlord with hiring a man to scare tenants into leaving their apartment.

Officers say on Aug. 6, a woman and her adult son reported that five people entered their basement apartment. Police say the five suspects grabbed the woman and her son, forced them out of the apartment and took their cellphones.

Investigators say the landlord, 71-year-old Martin Winepol, paid a man $1,000 to force the tenants out.

Winepol surrendered to police on Aug. 12. He is charged with conspiracy to commit assault and other offenses.

Fifty-year-old Garfield Johnson of Parkville, whom, police say, was the man Winepol hired, was arrested on Aug. 13. He is charged with burglary, robbery and assault.