Vacant Home Hijackers On The Radar For Dallas-Area Cops, Prosecutors

Buried in a recent story from Dallas County, Texas on scammers hijacking vacant homes involved in the foreclosure process and renting them out, The Dallas Morning News references these recent efforts to prosecute the alleged perpetrators:

• [O]n Thursday, a judge convicted pastor Jackie Lewis, 53, of Cedar Hill, on one count of securing execution of a document by deception in connection with renting a foreclosed home in Cedar Hill. The charge is normally a third-degree felony, but because of a 1994 theft conviction, he could face two to 20 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 6.

***

• DeSoto, Cedar Hill and Lancaster investigators have all arrested [Morris] Mosley on charges related to the foreclosure scheme. Late last month, [police] arrested Mosley outside a southeast Oak Cliff home that Mosley wanted to rent out. He's being held on two counts of suspicion of burglary of a habitation and one count of securing execution of a document by deception. Mosley, 48, is being held at Lew Sterrett Justice Center. His trial is set for April 20.

For the story, see Scammers finding open door at foreclosed homes.

Go here, go here, and go here for posts on phony landlord rent scams. PhonyLandlordScamZeta