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Sea Cliff Homeowner Accused of Squatting Faces Drug, Gun, and Animal Neglect Charges After Police Raid
Diana Peng, 42, was charged Tuesday with drug and firearm offenses and misdemeanor animal neglect after a Friday raid on a 32nd Avenue home she allegedly seized through forged deeds. Seven neglected dogs were removed, and the city attorney has filed a separate civil suit over the $4.8 million property.
A 42-year-old woman accused of illegally occupying a Sea Cliff home was charged Tuesday with drug and firearm offenses and misdemeanor animal neglect following a police raid last week, the San Francisco District Attorney's office announced.
Diana Peng faces one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and two counts of possession of ammunition by a felon. She was also charged with misdemeanor animal neglect, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, and a driving offense involving a revoked license, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said.
Peng was arrested Friday during a police search of the four-bedroom home on 32nd Avenue, a property that neighbors say has generated problems for more than a year. Police Chief Derrick Lew said officers seized "numerous items" during the search, including a firearm with a magazine and additional ammunition. Officers also found seven dogs being neglected inside the home, Lew said. Animal Care and Control took custody of the animals.
Police secured the house with assistance from the San Francisco Fire Department and posted no-trespassing signs to prevent burglars or others from entering, according to Lew.
Peng is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon and is expected to be eligible for bail, Jenkins said.
The criminal charges are separate from a civil lawsuit filed by the city attorney's office against Peng and Brandon Aadee. That suit alleges the pair forged documents to gain control of the home, which Zillow values at $4.8 million. The case has drawn attention to gaps in how property records and ownership disputes are handled in San Francisco, where housing costs are among the highest in the nation and fraudulent deed claims can leave legitimate owners and neighbors in prolonged limbo.
The raid followed mounting complaints from residents on the block, who described the property as a persistent source of concern. The charges announced Tuesday mark the first criminal accountability in a saga that has unsettled a normally quiet coastal neighborhood.
Jenkins' office did not provide additional details about the evidence behind the charges. The civil suit brought by City Attorney David Chiu's office remains pending.