BELLEVILLE — An 84-year-old woman and her twin sister claim her son and his girlfriend harassed and illegally evicted them from his Collinsville property after they loaned him more than $83,000 for improvements and maintenance.
Phyllis Syzdek and Mary Jane Johnson filed a complaint Dec. 10 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Gary Johnson, Omni Home Builders Inc., Mary Goode and M. Goode Construction Co., Inc., alleging unjust enrichment, financial exploitation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs claim they loaned $83,500 to Mary Jane Johnson's son Gary and Omni Home Builders for the construction, improvement and maintenance of a property located in Collinsville. The plaintiffs alleged that in addition to the $83,500 loan, they also paid rent to Gary Johnson to stay at the property.
They allege that Gary Johnson later took them to court to have them evicted from the property, despite their paying rent in a timely manner. They also claim the defendants harassed them in an attempt to force them out of the property. The plaintiffs claim Gary Johnson, along with his girlfriend, Goode, made harassing phone calls, knocked on the door and had flashing lights going off outside the property in the middle of the night as well as "other acts beyond bounds of human decency."
The plaintiffs claim that they were forced to leave the property and that Johnson now has the home for sale and has not allowed them to retrieve their personal property.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief of more than $83,000 and all other just relief. They are represented by Charles Pierce of The Pierce Law Firm PC in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 20-L-0981