Tamaqua police charged Jermaine Thomas Sr., 50, Tamaqua, with criminal and defiant trespass following an Aug. 14 incident.

Police said they were dispatched a home on the 300 block of Arlington Street for a 9 p.m. report of suspicious activity. The caller said a neighbor told him that someone was inside a home that his company recently purchased. The caller said that Thomas, who last lived in the home, was seen entering the property.

Police said the caller noted that the home had been posted with an ejection notice by the Schuylkill County Sheriff’s Office in May.

Officers arrived and spoke to Thomas, who was inside. Thomas claimed he had permission to enter the property to obtain his belongings. He was asked to leave but refused and told police that they would have to arrest him. Officers said that it appeared to be a civil matter, and since they had no documents to verify at that late hour, they left the scene.

The next morning, officers received the documents pertaining to the ejection notice. They spoke to Thomas, and asked him how he entered the building because its locks were changed. Thomas said he climbed through the basement window and then unlocked the door.

Officers told Thomas that verification of the ejection was made through the county sheriff’s office and that charges would be filed.