The Region : Slumlord Sentenced to Jail Term, Fine

Southeast area slumlord Ben Hoktiongtjoa was sentenced to serve 15 days in jail and pay $25,000 in fines after he pleaded no contest to 50 misdemeanor counts of maintaining substandard property and violating the Los Angeles County Health Code. Cary S. Reisman, the prosecutor for both Bell Gardens and Maywood, said Hoktiongtjoa has been “a thorn in the side” of the two cities for years, rarely making required repairs to his apartment houses or having the work done by unlicensed workers and without permits. Southeast Municipal Court Judge Russell F. Schooling also ordered Hoktiongtjoa to pay the two cities and the county $250 each for investigative costs.