Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that True Jackson, Saliam Sudler, and Shania Outar have been indicted on charges of burglary, criminal trespass and other crimes for illegally occupying a single-family home in St. Albans. The rightful owner’s family noticed unauthorized activity in the home this spring after the property was vacated in early 2024. A subsequent investigation revealed that the alleged squatters used the home as their unlawful permanent residence and kept pit bulls on the property.

District Attorney Katz said: “My office has prioritized removing squatters from the premises when dealing with cases of criminal trespass. The defendants in this case went as far as listing the home as their official place of residence in a domestic dispute. We will prosecute individuals who have entered a home illegally, no matter how long they’ve stayed or for what purpose.”

Jackson, 41, Sudler, 35, Outar, 24, were arraigned today on a five-count indictment charging them with burglary in the second degree, theft of services, petit larceny, criminal trespass in the second degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree.

Supreme Court Justice Gary Miret ordered the defendants to return to court January 9, 2025. If convicted of the top count, they face a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

DA Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, the defendants moved into the vacant home illegally in the spring of 2024. Family members of the legal homeowner noticed activity inside the property at that time.

On July 31, police officer responded to a call of a domestic dispute at the home between Jackson and Sudler, who are stepbrothers. Jackson was arrested for damaging Sudler’s security cameras and refusing to return Sudler’s PlayStation 5. During the incident, Jackson, Sudler and Outar – who is Sudler’s girlfriend – stated they lived inside the home and reported the address to the police as their official place of residence.

Further investigation revealed that the defendants used electricity in the home without payment for the duration of their unauthorized stay. Numerous pit bulls were found to be kept in the basement of the property.

The defendants were arrested today pursuant to an indictment warrant by members of the District Attorney’s Detectives Bureau. Over half a dozen pit bulls were recovered from the property seemingly in good condition and transported to animal control.

Assistant District Attorney William Jorgenson, Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Housing and Worker Protection Bureau, is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Christina Hanophy, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Gerard A. Brave.