San Mateo Co. Landlord Accused of Wrecking Tenants' Cars to Increase Rent Pleads No Contest

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA – An East Palo Alto landlord Wednesday morning pleaded no contest to damaging the vehicles of three tenants apparently to force them to move out of their rent-controlled units, San Mateo County prosecutors said Thursday.

Nemat Maleksalehi, 74, of Saratoga, entered his plea to felony vandalism charges in a Redwood City courtroom. He's accused in 15 incidents of vandalism over two years.

Three vehicles sustained broken windows in a Sept. 27, 2016 incident. In one incident, Maleksalehi was caught on surveillance video.

Prosecutors said evidence indicates only windows were damaged during the two years.

Nemat's son Auria Maleksalehi is accused of dissuading a witness to one of the incidents from talking to the police. Auria faces a maximum of a year in jail.

A jury trial in Auria's case is set for March 20 at 9 a.m. A pretrial conference is scheduled for Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., according to prosecutors.

Nemat entered his plea on the condition that he spends no more than a year in jail and pay for the cost of all the broken windows.

The victims are claiming $2,600 in damages, Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti said, but that could change.

Nemat's sentencing is scheduled for March 20 at 8:45 a.m. before Judge Donald Ayoob.

Nemat owns the Stanford Garden Apartments at 1735 Woodland Ave. Prosecutors think he wanted the tenants to move so he could raise the rents on the units to market rates.

Nemat's attorney Joshua Bentley did not immediately return a message asking whether he wanted to comment on behalf of Nemat.

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