by: Kenzie Finch
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A man from Hampton has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after being accused of harassing minority tenants, unlawfully evicting them, and fraudulently using their information to secure rent relief benefits.
David L. Merryman, 59, owns rental properties in Newport News and Hampton, primarily renting to African Americans with limited credit and housing options. Many of Merryman’s properties were reported to be in poor condition, with some deemed uninhabitable.
He charged tenants large upfront payments in the form of security deposits and prepaid rent, only to later evict them and repeat the process with new tenants. Reports indicate that Merryman used racial slurs, threats, and derogatory comments about slavery while harassing his tenants.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he allegedly exploited tenants’ personal information to apply for rent relief benefits. In some cases, Merryman would apply for assistance using tenants’ identities before evicting them for non-payment.
One tenant, referred to as E.P., paid rent to Merryman from 2015 until she was laid off in 2021 due to medical issues that required hospitalization. On May 10, 2021, Merryman applied for approximately $15,100 in rent relief benefits for E.P., forging her signature without her knowledge.
He received the relief funds before evicting her, claiming unpaid rent. As a result, E.P. lost all her belongings when Merryman sent a crew to remove them from her home and had her car towed while she was in the hospital.
Additional reports revealed that Merryman’s harassment led to several restraining orders against him.
He pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and racially motivated interference with housing and employment. Merryman now faces more than 20 years in prison.