Crime & Public Safety
Judge orders demolition of Chapel Ridge Apartments in Jackson after code violations ruling
A Jackson Environmental Court judge has ordered the Chapel Ridge Apartments in Jackson, Mississippi, to be demolished after finding the complex in a condemnable and unsanitary condition. Judge Jeffery Reynolds issued an 11-page order following a September trial that found the senior asset manager for the property guilty of four city code violations.
Chronology in court records shows the defendant, Larry Jackson, was tried September 10; the judge wrote the property “has been in a condemnable, dilapidated, and unsanitary condition since at least April 17, 2025.” Jackson was convicted on the city code counts and faces up to 360 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, but the judge suspended that sentence contingent on demolition and cleanup actions outlined in the order.
The order requires Jackson to apply for demolition permits within 14 days, to complete demolition within 90 days after obtaining permits, and to remove trash and debris within 30 days. A cost bond was set at $2,500 and a secured appearance bond at $2 million; the judge directed that the city could recoup the $2 million to pay for demolition if the bonds are forfeited or repairs are not made. Court filings show Jackson presented a certificate of authority listing him as asset manager for Chapel Ridge Holdings LLC.
The record notes that Jackson and owner Richard Gerage were charged; only Jackson appeared at trial. The property has had repeated problems: previous owners were sentenced on federal charges, New Chapel Ridge LLC purchased the site late last year with renovation plans, remaining tenants were required to move out by January 1, and the complex experienced at least nine fires since January, according to a city fire official referenced in reporting. The judge’s order sets the case status as conditional compliance tied to permit applications and demolition timelines.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.