Landlord Ron Kronenberger Allegedly Whips Tenant With Belt Over Unpaid Rent

We all know there are consequences for not paying the rent check on time, but few of us would imagine that being spanked would be one of them. Ron Kronenberger, a landlord in Waynesville, Ohio, is facing assault charges after allegedly whipping a male tenant with a belt because the tenant was late on rent, WKEF-TV in Dayton, Ohio, reported. Kronenberger is a prestigious businessman and owner of a local grocery store, and he was once named Citizen of the Year by Waynesville officials, according to the Dayton Daily News.

The incident allegedly happened in a back room of Kronenberger's store when the tenant, who has not been named, came by to discuss the late rent. Police said that the tenant purportedly owed Kronenberger $2,800 in rent. According to a police report, Kronenberger told the man, "If you're going to act like a child, I'm going to treat you like one." Kronenberg then told the man to bend over, and he struck the man with his belt four times on the buttocks, the police report said. The man told police that he submitted to the whipping because "he was scared and just wanted to get it over with," the police report said.

Some Waynesville residents were quick to jump to Kronenberger's defense, with one woman telling WLWT-TV in Cincinnati: "Ron's a great guy, he's done a lot for this community." But another resident was simply questioning why. "My thought is, why did the guy [the tenant] comply?" she said. "Why on earth are you going to bend over and take a whooping?" Kronenberger has pleaded not guilty to assault charges.

On a more serious note, if you find yourself struggling to afford your rent payments, there are things you can do to get help. At USA.gov, you can find a wealth of information on rental assistance programs that could help you stay on track with rent, including services for the elderly, disabled and veterans. One of the first things you should do is contact your local Housing and Urban Development office, which can put you in contact with housing counselors.

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See also: Where 'Disciplinarians' Could Live Rent-Free

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