PORT TOWNSEND — The home of an ailing Jefferson County man was “looted” last year by contractors hired by JPMorgan Chase, a lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court alleges.
The mortgage company falsely declared decorated Navy veteran James Butler’s home abandoned while he was receiving care at a Seattle hospital in 2009, his daughter, Celeste Butler of Kirkland, claimed in the suit filed Nov. 23.
As a result, JPMorgan hired Safeguard Properties LLC to “winterize” the Kala Heights home and change the locks in October of that year.
But Safeguard and an unknown third party did much more, Celeste claimed.
Home in shambles
They left the home in shambles and took 17th-century paintings, fine china and other items James Butler had collected from around the world as a commanding officer in the Navy, according to the suit and a Seattle attorney representing Celeste Butler.
“These are people that likely stole some of this for their own personal gain because they know that it would be awfully hard to prove it,” said attorney Chris Davis.
The Kirkland woman tried to get some answers from JPMorgan after her father, who received the Bronze Star three times and a Joint Service Commendation Medal, died in January, the attorney said. He was in his 80s.
Celeste Butler, who could not be reached for comment, filed the suit against JPMorgan, Safeguard and an unknown company after multiple attempts to reach the mortgage company proved fruitless, Davis said.
Compensation sought
She is seeking unspecified compensation; a trial has been scheduled for May 2012.
Coldwell Banker Realtor Anne McLaughlin, who is selling the home for Celeste Butler, said she saw the residence after it had been “ransacked.”
“Every drawer was opened, every shoe box was opened, every bag — everything had been opened,” she said.
“All I know is it was a very sad affair.”
A JPMorgan spokeswoman declined to comment but provided a written statement.
“We followed our policy to maintain a mortgaged property, especially during winter months when cold weather can damage property,” Darcy Donahoe-Wilmot, the firm’s spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail.
“As part of our protocol, we take photos to document the condition of the property upon our arrival.
“The home’s interior was in a disorganized condition when our vendor arrived.”
Donahoe-Wilmot said she could not release the photos.
A spokeswoman for Ohio-based Safeguard did not respond to requests for comment.
Davis said the home was tidy before it was entered.
The mortgage payments also were current, he said.
McLaughlin said JPMorgan may have considered the home abandoned if notices in the mail were not being answered.
Celeste Butler learned of what happened through a neighbor, Davis said.
Sheriff’s Office report
The neighbor told Celeste Butler that the house had been entered and that items were being removed daily, according to a report Celeste Butler filed with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in October 2009. The neighbor claimed that a representative of Safeguard notified him that he was “tasked with readying the house for sale,” the report said.
After Celeste Butler contacted authorities, an officer found the door unlocked, the report said.
“Most of the furnishings were already gone, but clothing and small items were strewn about the house,” the officer wrote.
Davis said the Sheriff’s Office determined it was a civil matter.
The attorney said there was no sign of a break-in, other than the entry by JPMorgan’s contractors.
“The only sign of entry into the home was the doors where the locks were changed,” he said. “For instance, there were no broken windows.
“I have to believe that most, if not all, burglars would not take the time to change a lock after they exit the property.”
McLaughlin said the home is in a gated community, making a common burglary unlikely.
“If that had occurred, I think the whole neighborhood would have been aware,” she said.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
