Suspect Who Used Bible Verses On Phony Deeds To Dupe Prospective Renters Cops Plea To Two Felonies As Prosecutors Drop Eleven Counts

In San Bernardino, California, The Press Enterprise reports:

• A man who persuaded potential renters to trust him by writing Bible verses on fake grant deeds has pleaded guilty in San Bernardino County court to two felony charges.
  
  Bob Frierson, 42, pleaded guilty May 8 to two counts of recording a false document. As part of the plea bargain, 11 counts were dropped: four of recording a false document, six of forgery and one of residential burglary.
  
  Frierson, who is in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced July 10.
  
  Ed Nyberg, a senior investigator with the San Bernardino County district attorney’s office, said in an interview that Frierson drove around north Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga and Victorville the past three years to find vacant homes that were in foreclosure.
  
  Frierson would then forge grant deeds and show them to unsuspecting renters as proof that he owned the properties, Nyberg said.
  
  The Bible verses, which Nyberg said he saw on seven fake grant deeds, were often two or three sentences and contained themes of personal rights of staying on a property or giving property to other people.
  
  Frierson would collect rent until the properties were foreclosed on, and the banks would then evict the renters, who would lose their deposits, Nyberg said.

Source: Bible-touting man admits scamming renters.