TAVARES, Fla. – The elderly Florida landlord charged with burglary for trying to move a tenant who hadn’t been paying rent is now facing lesser charges, but he has also been arrested again.
Youssef Nassief El-Masry was serving a 30-year probation sentence for insurance fraud $100,000+ and organized fraud $50,000+ in Sumter County, when he was arrested in Lake County in December.
Violation of Probation Affidavit, Dec. 30, 2024 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
That arrest, as well as owing money from a payment plan agreement, led to El-Masry being charged with a probation violation, and the Sumter County judge issuing an arrest warrant.
El-Masry tried to avoid another arrest.
Motion to Quash or Set Bond on VOP Warrant, Jan. 27, 2025 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
His lawyer noted in a five-page motion that prosecutors in the burglary case threw out the greater charge, and, “The alleged victim had abandoned the home and left the home in a state of disrepair when the alleged criminal mischief took place.”
That didn’t work.
Waiver of Rights and Plea Agreement, Feb. 18, 2025 by Lenny Cohen on Scribd
El-Masry was arrested Feb. 14 in Sumter County. He remained behind bars for five days, when he took a plea deal. He was sentenced to 61 days in jail with time served, plus court and prosecution charges, and his probation was reinstated.
The 85-year-old’s probation is scheduled to end in 2053, when he’d be 112 years, 6 months, and 15 days old.
Then, El-Masry was transferred to Lake County, where he’s no longer facing a felony burglary charge. Instead, he faces two misdemeanors – petit theft $100-$750 and criminal mischief with damage $200-$1,000 – and he was released in less than nine hours, in lieu of $5,000 bond.
According to the arrest report in that case, “Youssef stated that he went to the Lake County courthouse and got the process for an eviction notice to be served on two occasions.”
Then, “While in the process of completing the evictions, Youssef stated that he was in communication with the tenant, [name], and a verbal agreement was established for [the tenant] and her family to leave the property.”
But the tenant claimed, “No agreement was ever made to service the property, nor was any confirmation in regards to be evicted on a certain date from the property.
“[The tenant] stated that when she arrived at the above address, she observed a large box truck backed into the driveway, which she believed was strange.
“[She] then observed the garage door fully opened, with the locks for the front door and laundry room door through the garage tampered with. Upon entering the property, [she] observed several of her belongings removed, and her couch in a burn pit within the backyard of the property.
“[She] advised she gave no one permission to enter the home and remove her property, and wishes to press charges.”
El-Masry had no evidence, other than the alleged verbal agreement.
He’s due back in court on March 27.
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