Town of Hannibal Uses State Troopers To Facilitate Private Seizure Of Property Despite $0 Balance

On March 25, 2026, a disturbing event took place in the Town of Hannibal that should concern every property owner in Oswego County. The Town of Hannibal, acting through its code enforcement and the summoning of New York State Troopers, assisted a private company in the physical removal of a 12×24 structure from my rented lot at 346-68 Stock Rd.
This was not a court-ordered eviction. This was not a legal repossession. In fact, I possess a receipt showing a $0.00 balance owed on the property in question.
When I explicitly denied permission for this removal on March 18th and 19th, the private companies involved did not go to court to seek a Writ of Replevin as required by New York law (UCC § 9-609). Instead, they returned a week later with the “muscle” of the Town of Hannibal and the State Troopers.
By using taxpayer-funded police as “repo agents” for a private leasing company, the Town bypassed the judiciary entirely. A “condemnation notice” is a safety regulation; it is not a warrant to seize private property. In New York, only a Judge can authorize the removal of a structure from a residential lot through a Warrant of Eviction or a Writ of Replevin.
I have filed suit in the Supreme Court of the State of New York (County of Oswego) against the Town of Hannibal and the involved private entities for Constitutional violations and illegal self-help eviction. The Court has already allowed the Town to be named as a defendant.
As a resident and business owner (Luna Marketing), I am appalled that our local government would use public resources to facilitate a private seizure of property from a citizen who owes nothing. Hannibal taxpayers should ask why their resources are being used to bypass the law and create significant legal liability for the Town.
Respectfully,
Scott Ellis
Hannibal, NY

Print this entry