A 59-year-old landlord in Elba was admitted to County Court on Thursday to menacing a tenant at a location on Ridge Road in August. The landlord will serve a year on interim probation.
Michael Joseph Schad, of Ridge Road, Elba, entered a guilty plea to a felony count of menacing.
When he was arrested at 9:05 a.m. on Aug. 24, he was charged with five counts of menacing in the second degree as a hate crime and one count of menacing in the second degree.
District Attorney Kevin Finnell said Schad was accused of using a derogatory racial term directed at his tenant. He said Schad was intoxicated and possessed what appeared to be a weapon during the confrontation with the tenant, which Finnell described as a "tenant dispute."
Schad has no prior criminal history, and Schad had no history of prior disputes between Schad and his tenant.
ADA Earl Voss prosecuted the case.
Schad agreed to the year of interim probation and to address his anger/substance issues. He will be sentenced in one year and will if successful on interim probation, will be sentenced to less than 364 days in jail. If unsuccessful, he faces up to four years in prison.
The tenant has apparently moved out of the property.
