A Hampton landlord, David L. Merryman, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for charges including wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and race-based interference with housing and employment. The sentence was handed down by a court in Newport News, Virginia.

Merryman, aged 59, owned a total of 62 rental properties across Newport News and Hampton. Many of these properties were reportedly in poor condition and located in low-income neighborhoods. Court documents revealed that Merryman primarily rented these properties to underprivileged African American tenants who had limited credit and housing options.

Between 2019 and January 2024, Merryman engaged in fraudulent activities involving rent relief benefits and initial payments such as security deposits for poorly maintained rental homes. He misled prospective tenants into believing they would have long-term leases but intended to evict them quickly to repeat the cycle of fraud.

"David Merryman deliberately targeted families of color with limited means and housing options," stated Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. She emphasized the responsibility landlords have to uphold housing rights and human dignity.

Brian Dugan from the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office highlighted Merryman's exploitation of his position as a landlord: "He not only sought out tenants with few housing options to rent but then continued to racially harass and subject them to unsuitable living conditions."

Rae Oliver Davis from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development described Merryman's actions as "repulsive disregard for both the law and well-being of his low-income tenants."

Merryman's conduct included racial harassment through slurs, comments about slavery, death threats, and assaultive behavior against minority tenants. He also interfered with at least one tenant's employment rights through racial threats.

The court found that Merryman fabricated lease documents using incorrect information about tenants, forged signatures, and filed fraudulent rent relief applications during the COVID-19 pandemic without tenant consent.

In one case involving a tenant identified as L.G., Merryman made racially derogatory responses to repair requests and threatened her family’s safety. Another tenant named E.P., who paid rent until she lost her job due to medical issues during the pandemic, was evicted despite Merryman obtaining $15,100 in rent relief benefits on her behalf without her knowledge or consent.

Additionally, after failing to complete a construction project for another individual identified as E.S., Merryman threatened him repeatedly even after a protective order was issued against him.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Mack Coleman, Julie D. Podlesni, and Brian J. Samuels prosecuted this case.

Further details are available on the websites of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia under Case No. 4:24-cr-4.