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Contested Nampa home cleared of former renter

Posted at 2:43 PM, Apr 19, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-19 19:14:41-04

The Nampa Police Department has removed property from a home the owners claim was rented without their permission.

According to Nampa Police Department spokesman Sgt. Tim Riha, officers moved Debbra Smith’s possessions from the property at 37 Westwood Street in Nampa this morning. He said the homeowners, Brian and Renea Prindle, agreed to pay for a storage unit to house Smith’s possessions after Smith told them she was “only storing” items at their home and that she wasn’t “living there.”

The home was the center of a dispute between the Prindles and Smith. The Prindles claimed they were not renting out the home, but instead were trying to sell the property.

Smith claimed she was legally able to live at the property after she gave $1,500 to a man who had a lease to the home and a pair of keys.

Originally, police claimed the dispute was a civil matter and law enforcement would not get involved.

The Prindles filed an expedited eviction notice on April 11th, after claiming they had found drug paraphernalia inside their home.

However, a judge denied the expedited eviction -- claiming the homeowners did not meet the burden of proof in proving the items found inside of the home were actually drug-related.

Smith was then arrested on April 12th on several charges including a warrant violation, drug paraphernalia and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Renea Prindle is scheduled to meet with state officials with the Governor's Office to become an advocate on changing renter laws in the state of Idaho.

The Prindle family is planning to repair the home and the California buyer is hoping to move in within the next two weeks.

Stick with 6 On Your Side for the latest on this developing story.