Chamber Head Faces Misdemeanor
Guenther pleads not guilty after accusation of unlawful entry
Following an Oct. 26 incident, Mark Guenther, the executive director of the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, was charged Nov. 7 with an ”unlawful entry” misdemeanor in D.C. Superior Court, as first reported by LGBTQ Nation, an online news magazine. Guenther has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
According to court documents, Guenther entered the apartment of his neighbor, who was asleep. That neighbor says he awoke at 3 a.m. to find Guenther standing over him, then yelled, ”What the fuck are you doing? Get the fuck out of my apartment!” A draft of the incident report indicates Guenther returned to his home across the hall. The complainant told police that later that morning Guenther sent an email to him confirming that he had entered the apartment and apologized. The incident report draft details no sign of ”forced entry.”
Guenther and his attorney, Meaghan Hearn of Ackerman Brown PLLC, declined to comment further. The complainant also declined to comment.
Judge Karen Howze issued Guenther a ”stay away order” with regard to the complainant Nov. 7, before releasing him without bond on his personal recognizance. A status hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 20.
John Riley contributed to this report.
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
