Second Cherry Orchard Manager Arrested

(Reported by Pam Dempsey of CU-CitizenAccess)

The second property manager of the Cherry Orchard Village Apartments has been arrested. An extradition hearing is scheduled next week for Bernard Ramos, who was arrested in Washington D.C. by the Metropolitan Police Department on April 10.

A civil contempt warrant had been issued for Bernard, as well as his father, Eduardo Ramos, by a Champaign County judge. The two failed to appear to a schedule court hearing last year in connection with problems at Cherry Orchard. The property, which is located near Rantoul, was closed by health officials for a broken septic system.

Bernard refused extradition and was released on a $5,000 cash bond and is due back in a D.C. court Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Ramos was in Champaign County Court on Thursday. At a hearing last month following his arrest in February, a Champaign County judge gave him permission to return to D.C. for medical care. Thursday's hearing was continued until June and Eduardo Ramos was again given permission to return to D.C.

Cherry Orchard typically houses migrant workers in the summer. It remains closed.

Champaign County State's Attorney Joel Fletcher said that the county continues to seek better security of the property. He said there is evidence of ongoing activity there.

In March, county health officials investigated reports of people living on the property and removing boards from windows off of one of the buildings. Health officials replaced the boards and posted a more permanent sign warning people away.

"Our main goal is that nobody lives in the property until the septic is fixed," said Julie Pryde, the administrator for the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.