Lynn tracks trash scofflaws

LYNN – A nearly $74,000 tab has been racked up from the city?s top 10 litter and ordinance scofflaws.
Desperate to collect the money, city attorney Vincent Phelan said the law department has been actively tracking down the offenders and recently sent out demand letters for payment to the top litterbugs.
Because of the stern letters, agreements are reportedly in place with several of the scofflaws to recoup $15,000 from the total amount due.
?Many of the letters came back as address not known, so we?re currently searching the registry of deeds to see if they still own the properties,” he said. “The other problem is that many ofthe fines were issued to two different names that are actually the same person, so we are in the process of cross referencing the addresses.”
Phelan said the city is actualy owed more than $700,000 when those who have fines as low as $50 are factored in.
?We don?t want to file a lawsuit with people who owe less than $100, so we are going to hold a series of Wednesday meetings in the law department at City Hall with attorneys to square up the fines with people and set payment plans,” he said.
Ping Zuo of193 Boston Post Rd. in Weston holds the title as the top offender in the city with 99 tickets totaling $29,400.
According to city officials, Zuo, a slumlord responsible for ripping thermostats out of his apartments and forcing his tenants to live in squalor, fled the country last year and is believed to be in China.
Because of his situation, Phelan said the city would most likely be unable to ever claim the money he owes because they have been unable to locate him.
Zuo also goes by the name Anthony Ping Zuo and has a real estate business, Great Wall Properties, LLC.
?He?s gone,” Phelan said. “His fines have been put into an uncollectable file, but we will keep his case open in case he pops up. We?ve been chasing him for a long time.”
Zuo abandoned properties in Lynn at 53 Arlington and 444 Essex streets, and 1 and 2 Haines Terrace, and a judge in Springfield recently took 19 properties away from him that were in poor condition.
O Omorogbe, of P.O. Box 8292, Lynn, is the city’s second scofflaw with 58 fines totaling $10,250 at several locations.
Phelan said Omorogbe was recently found living in Texas and is under an agreement to make monthly payments on his outstanding bill.
Stephen Yee, of 20 Aborn Place, Lynn, has racked up 33 fines at 46 Jackson St., totaling $7,650.
William Calkins, of 606-608 Summer St., Lynn, has accrued 67 fines worth $6,450 at 606-608 Summer St. Phelan said demand letters mailed to Calkins home address were sent back as undeliverable.
Sam Pierre, of 16 Reynolds Ave., Chelsea, owes $5,100 in fines and Phelan said the law department is about to take court action to collect the money.
Louis Pierre, of 8 Walnut St., Everett, has accrued $4,100 in fines. At one time, Pierre owned three properties in Lynn at 7 Congress, 8 Walnut and 45 Hanover streets.
G Barhona, of 27 Ridgeway, Lynn, has racked up a $4,000 tab in overdue fines, while
Kuong Khun, of 117 Washington St., Lynn, owes $3,275 from fines accrued at that home., and is currently paying $200 a month toward the total.
Joseph Amoroso, of 35 Cedar St., Marblehead, has tallied up 20 fines totaling $3,100 from 168 Eastern Ave., Lynn.
Phelan said a judge reduced the amount Amoroso owed to $3,100 from $6,200 after several appeals, and said that Amoroso has been paying $100 a month toward the total due.