Perryville’s Response to the Maggiore Case

Earlier this week Cecil County News reported the sad story of Charles and Amber Maggiore, who have had land belonging to them seized via an action to quiet title that failed to name the appropriate landowner nor representatives as defendants when the Maryland Code for Real Property demands it, and was based on a deed to the wrong property.

Read the story here: http://cecilcounty.news/2019/09/08/perryvilles-not-so-quiet-title-farce/

Assisting the Maggiore family in their negotiation with the town is local businessman Vincent Sammons who has reported that Perryville refuses to acknowledge the 17.85 acreage surrounding the Mill Creek Reservoir as the part of the estate of Mabel Williams-Whack whose representatives sold the estate to the Maggiores.

Fred Sussman, the town attorney for Perryville insists that the town purchased the reservoir property from the Perryville Water Company despite filing an action to quiet title to claim the land. He insists that the 17.85 acres is separate from the 51.62 acres owned by the Maggiores despite the evidence we provided in our prior article stating otherwise.

For anyone confused by Perryville’s response; think of it like buying a six pack of soda at the market, having someone take a soda then try convince you that 3+3 equals 5 instead of 6, and that the sixth soda theirs because they bought it from a different market. And if you try to take the soda back, they threaten to have you arrested.

Based on the current information provided, Sussman also claims that the town is being required by the Maryland Department of the Environment to lower the water level in the reservoir to ensure the safety of the reservoir, despite the Cecil Whig’s reporting in 2016 that the reservoir was going to be demolished and scrapped while Lidl would be restoring the streams as part of a compensatory mitigation.

This, readers, is what is known as gaslighting; which is an attempt to manipulate someone into doubting reality in spite of facts and logic by asserting a lie like it’s truth.

Inspection of the terrain has uncovered property markers that support the Maggiore’s claim, and three witnesses attest that some more were removed during the work being done on the land by the town.

Sussman has also demanded that the Maggiores remove the signs posted claiming ownership of the disputed property and directing people to “keep out,” claiming that they are “inaccurate and defamatory.”

Meanwhile at the Maggiore property, Perryville two men showed up on the premises accompanied by a police officer out of uniform and driving an unmarked car, but wearing his badge and holstered sidearm. When he was asked and was legally required to answer, refused to reveal his name. An argument ensued over who was the owner of the property that Charles Maggiore told Cecil County News went on for five to ten minutes. He was only identified as Officer Jerry Warner of Perryville PD due to the neighbor coming out to check on the commotion and calling him out by name.

Mr. Maggiore also told us of another incident with police where he was stopped on the road because of a broken headlight. But when Mr. Maggiore asked to get out and look at it, the officer instructed him to remain seated. After the officer left, Mr. Maggiore inspected his headlights only to find that they were fine.

At this point, the town of Perryville has few options. Either they can arrest Charles Maggiore for trespassing, or he will have them arrested for trespassing. Either way, the case and the evidence will go before a judge. Based on the evidence we have collected, the quiet title judgment should be vacated.

In his back and forth with Town Administrator Denise Breder, Mr. Maggiore reported that every time she sends him a deed to prove the town owns the reservoir property, it is the same wrong deed that belongs to a property at Old Post Road in Perry Point, several miles from the disputed land.

We will continue to keep you apprised of the situation.