BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced Wednesday that a Buffalo landlord was arraigned on one count of a willful violation of health laws, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Between Jan. 24, 2020, and Feb. 23, 2022, 40-year-old Carrie A. Preischel rented a 486 Fargo Avenue property to a tenant. By doing so, Presichel was knowingly in violation of an order issued by the Erie County Department of Health.
BREAKING: The landlord at the center of one the first 7 Problem Solvers stories was arraigned this morning for exposing Buffalo tenant to unsafe levels of lead at 468 Fargo Ave., which Jackie Martinez claimed to me in February. @WKBW https://t.co/yc9cQpji2q pic.twitter.com/LwPW3tg0rC
— Michael Schwartz (@MSchwartzTV) October 12, 2022
In late January 2020, the Erie County Department of Health investigated potentially unsafe lead levels in the Fargo Avenue property. A health sanitarian tried to work with the landlord Preischel to correct the lead-related violations.
Since the property was not in compliance with the law, a "Do Not Allow Occupancy of Dwelling Unit" notice was posted on the property in February 2020. The notice indicated that the property was to remain vacant until a re-inspection approved it for occupancy.
While the property was still not in full compliance, the landlord allegedly rented to another tenant who lived in the property through February 2022.
Preischel was released on her own recognizance, and is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 15. If convicted of the charge, Preischel will face a maximum sentence of one year in jail.
