Man Who Allegedly Hijacked Possession Of Unoccupied Home From Out-Of-Town Owner, Then Ran Online Scam To Pocket $4,500 In Rent From Duped Tenants Pinched On Felony Theft By Deception Charges

In Conyers, Georgia, the Rockdale Citizen reports:

• A man who allegedly rented someone else's house to two tenants is in the Rockdale County Jail charged with two counts of felony theft by deception.
  
  Patrick Henry Stuart, 43, of 3107 Baywood Court, Conyers, was arrested Feb. 8 on warrants that were taken out as part of an investigation that began in December. Prior to his arrest, police said Stuart was believed to be in Texas.
  
  According to a report by the Conyers Police Department, the owner of a house at 1526 Evergreen Hollow went to the property on Dec. 20 where he had scheduled to have some repairs made. When the man, who lives in Florida, arrived, he reportedly found a family living there illegally.
  
  Police investigated and learned that the house had been leased to two sisters who said they signed a rental agreement in November. Stuart, who was known to the sisters as Jamere Stuart of Real Foreclosure Solutions, was identified as the man who rented them the house.
  
  According to one of the sisters, they had found the property online. The sisters reportedly had paid $4,500 in rent. They provided police with a copy of the rental agreement and receipts for money cards that they got at Walmart to pay the rent.
  
  The owner of the house said that the stainless steel refrigerator and stove that he had installed in the house were missing.

Source: Man charged in rental scam.