Vacant F'closed Home Snatcher Pleads Not Guilty To Burglary, Filing False Instruments After Allegedly Recording 50+ False Deeds, Then Renting Them Out

In San Diego, California, KGTV Channel 10 reports:

• A woman accused of filing more than 50 false deeds on foreclosed homes that didn't belong to her and then scamming people out of thousands of dollars by renting out the houses pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 61 felony charges, including burglary and filing a false instrument.



• Dianne "Harmony" Brown, 45, was ordered held in lieu of $300,000 bail. If convicted of all charges, she faces nearly 40 years in state prison, prosecutors said.



• "This defendant was taking advantage of the fact that families have lost their homes to foreclosure and are now sitting vacant," District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said. "Our Economic Crimes Division worked closely with the Chula Vista Police Department to investigate this scam and hold the defendant accountable for her actions."



• Prosecutors said Brown targeted more than 30 homes in South Bay, claiming to be the owner of fake businesses called Prudent Constituents Association and Peerless Property Management.



• After recording the false deeds, the defendant would cut off Realtor lock boxes, break into the homes and have them re-keyed before renting them to victims, prosecutors said. Brown allegedly listed the homes on Craigslist and collected tens of thousands of dollars in rent during the course of the scam.

For more, see Woman Accused In Alleged Housing Scam Pleads Not Guilty (Dianne 'Harmony' Brown Faces 61 Felony Counts, Including Burglary, Filing False Instrument).