Residents in Maryland witnessed a bizarre incident where a woman unlawfully occupied a $2.3 million home, and after her neighbors went through legal proceedings to see her jailed, she returned to continue enjoying the luxury residence just 11 days later.
According to court records, African American woman Tamieka Goode and her partner Corey Pollard were charged with unlawfully occupying a bank-owned property in Bethesda, Maryland.
This squatting incident took a dramatic turn last Monday.
Ian Chen, a Chinese neighbor, told Fox News Baltimore Local that “Goode was back in the house less than two weeks after being jailed.”
The court records show that Goode and Pollard were charged in July 2025 with unlawful entry and fourth-degree burglary. The charges were brought by Chen, who lives next door to the occupied luxury home.
Goode’s lawyer claimed, “There are loopholes in the legal system, and some people will take advantage of them, but a loophole is a loophole.” He added that his client followed the “established procedure” to move into the luxury home.
In late January, Fox News Local reported on the court proceedings of this case. Goode, self-proclaimed as a “sue pro se coach,” faced multiple legal proceedings over the past nine months, often maneuvering with various claims and repeatedly missing scheduled court dates, ultimately resulting in her appearance in court.
During a recess in the court proceedings, Fox News Local asked Goode outside the L. Leonard Ruben District Court in Maryland why she took over the luxury home without authorization and whether she considered illegal occupation a criminal act.
“Get lost!” Goode retorted to reporters.
The presiding judge in this case, John C. Moffett, ruled that all charges against Goode were valid and sentenced her to immediate imprisonment for 90 days.
During the trial, the judge told Goode that she had “some crazy ideas to defend her illegal occupation of the house.”
Goode, in her TikTok and Instagram videos, encouraged others on how to squat, claiming, “You can’t do what ordinary people do.”
However, court records show that on February 2 (just 11 days post-conviction), Goode was released from the Montgomery County Jail. She posted a $5,000 cash appeal bond and hired lawyer Alex J. Webster, III of the Maronick Law Firm to appeal on her behalf.
A few hours after her release, surveillance footage obtained by Fox News Local showed her returning to the squatted luxury home.
Despite signs in every neighbor’s yard saying “Keep Out,” Goode and another woman were seen slowly crossing the icy driveway from a neighbor’s yard in the video. Goode was even wearing the same green pants as she did when questioned outside the courthouse.
When approached for an interview, Goode’s lawyer Webster struggled to explain how his client gained access to the luxury home, remaining silent for an extended period before referring to property ownership issues.
“Due to property issues, she was able to occupy the property by the rights of a squatter,” Webster added.
Webster admitted that trespassing and unlawful entry are crimes in Maryland. “I’m not charging my client with trespassing. There is no evidence showing she did it,” Webster stated.
He further mentioned that there were “multiple people” in the house, but clarified “it doesn’t necessarily mean she was trespassing.”
When asked about the number of occupants in the over 7,500 square feet luxury home, Webster said he “could not confirm or deny, but definitely more than one person.”
Fox News Local reporters attempted to visit the squatted luxury home and found “Keep Out” signs attached to the inner side windows of the side gate. Despite knocking on all ground-floor doors, no one answered from Goode or the other occupants within the property.
The reporters heard barking from inside, similar to their attempted contact with the occupants at the end of December. Outside the property, there were signs of pet urine and feces.
A nearby neighbor, Mrs. Mi (preferring not to disclose full name due to fear of retaliation), expressed concerns about Goode returning, fearing a possible escalation into “unstable” situations or even violence, as Goode was aware that neighbors were actively trying to evict her and her associates.
“People living here work hard for their livelihoods,” Mrs. Mi said, “I think (the issue is) the lack of enforcement.”
Other unnamed neighbors also voiced similar concerns about their safety and property being threatened, mentioning an incident during Goode’s brief incarceration when an underage individual was left alone at the house with unidentified persons.
They had contacted child protective services regarding the child’s absence from school and inadequate care. A neighbor mentioned that Child Welfare Services personnel visited the property on the day of Goode’s incarceration but left as no one answered the door.
A spokesperson for Child Welfare Services acknowledged receiving the reports.
Mr. Chen mentioned that the dispute over this suspected unlawful occupation of the house began almost a year ago when he called the Montgomery County police to report a forcible entry into a property previously due for sale after being foreclosed on.
However, according to Mr. Chen, police merely knocked on the door upon arrival, left when no one answered, and drove away.
Shiera Goff, media and public information manager for the Montgomery County Police Department, stated that the property had been occupied by the squatters for over thirty days, granting them residency rights as confirmed by the “Landlord-Tenant Office.”
State Delegate Teresa Woorman, a Democrat representing the area where the property is located, told Fox Local News last week that she was unsure if illegal residency should be considered a crime.
This response left Mr. Chen puzzled, as that was the reason he initiated legal action in the first place, trying to evict the squatters who took over his property.
“This is what I should do,” Mr. Chen stated, “My parents always taught me to work hard, pay debts on time, and strive to create a better life for myself.”
“Despite the frustration, we will continue to fight,” he continued, “I will pursue this charge, no matter how Goode tries to evade legal consequences, I will ensure she faces the appropriate punishment and eventually conclude this matter.”
Goode is scheduled to attend a pre-trial conference at the Montgomery County Circuit Court on March 6, while her partner Pollard, absent from the January hearing, still has an outstanding arrest warrant.
Federal court records show Pollard was convicted in January 2024 for transporting nearly six stolen vehicles from Pennsylvania to Maryland. This 2019 multi-offender group also vandalized a Verizon cellphone store, resulting in the theft of approximately 39 phones valued at around $22,483.
Pollard has faced multiple charges over the past decade, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, felony theft, and unauthorized transfer of property.