Two years ago, it was reported that an Upper West Side building superintendent allegedly offered to help female tenants pay their rent in exchange for sex. Residents of three different buildings claimed that William Barnason, who was convicted of rape and molestation of three young girls and classified as a high-level sex offender, would also enter apartments—he had keys to all of them—and demand sex. Now Barnason, as well as landlord Stanley Katz and his son Stephen Katz (who managed the properties) have agreed to pay $2 million to six tenants to settle their claims.
The properties were at 144 W. 73rd St., 140 W. 75th St, and 142 W. 75th St., and women accused Barnason of saying things like, "If you want to hook up once or twice a week, I can pay your rent, and I can get you a bigger apartment." Besides the allegations about Barnason, the women told the Post that their "complaints to Katz and his son, Stephen, fell on deaf ears — and that all three men routinely referred to them as 'just another whore looking for a free ride.'" Now, with the settlement, the trio will avoid a trial. Stanley Katz is prohibited from managing properties and Barnason is prohibited from maintaining or managing occupied properties, while Stephen Katz must under go sexual discrimination classes.
One woman, Virginia Moncada, believed that Barnason "drugged her at a bar before another female tenant stopped him from dragging her into a vacant apartment." She said, "Part of me wanted to hand their heads [on] a platter to a jury. The other part, I’m glad it’s done. We had a slam-dunk case. They’re some of the worst people you could ever meet."
