Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department accused of excessive force during evictions
Tenant in November 2023 eviction attempt says drawn guns were unnecessary. Judgement had been paid.
GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies are being accused of using excessive force to perform an eviction at gunpoint that turned out to be on shaky legal ground, according to the recording of the incident.
The accusations are being made by a pair of Montgomery County business owners who say deputies came through the door of their unoccupied business at gunpoint last November, even though a judgement had been paid.
The deputies reversed course after re-checking documents, according to the video.
The business owners say they are frustrated and they claim a written complaint to the sheriff’s department has been ignored. They spoke exclusively with WUSA9.
“It was unnecessary excessive force,” complained Carol Rivadeneira, who spoke standing with her husband Jose Rivadeneira after reviewing security camera video from Nov. 3, 2023 showing Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies entering their business premises with guns drawn.
The couple are the owners of Synergy Business Center at 18630 Woodfield Rd in Gaithersburg.
“It’s an eviction not a drug bust. We are business owners in Montgomery County and we deserve to be treated as such,” Carol Rivadeneira said.
It turns out the November eviction was unjustified because the couple had paid a court-ordered judgement, according to court records and statement made by a deputy who can be heard in the incident video.
The video shows a sheriff’s deputy on the phone with Carol checking the paperwork and then reversing course.
Workers were ordered by a deputy to return all removed possessions to the premises.
“I think that the video is egregious. It’s terrible,” Carol Rivadeneira said.