What to Know
- A Long Island man will spend up to a decade behind bars for stealing the house of an 89-year-old woman after creating and using a forged power of attorney, Brooklyn prosecutors said Tuesday.
- Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Shavard Callaway, 48, of North Babylon, New York, was convicted of two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, four counts of second-degree forgery, and one count of first-degree falsifying business records on Nov. 18, 2022, following a jury trial.
- Gonzalez said, citing the evidence, that Callaway sold the home of the octogenarian, located on Chauncey Street, in 2014 after creating and using a forged power of attorney, claiming to be her nephew. The property was eventually sold to a real estate management company for $250,000. According to prosecutors, the victim was living with relatives in Upstate New York at the time.
A Long Island man will spend up to a decade behind bars for stealing the house of an 89-year-old woman after creating and using a forged power of attorney, Brooklyn prosecutors said Tuesday.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Shavard Callaway, 48, of North Babylon, New York, was convicted of two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, four counts of second-degree forgery, and one count of first-degree falsifying business records on Nov. 18, 2022, following a jury trial.
He was subsequently sentenced Tuesday to an indeterminate term of five to 10 years in prison.
Gonzalez said, citing the evidence, that Callaway sold the home of the octogenarian, located on Chauncey Street, in 2014 after creating and using a forged power of attorney, claiming to be her nephew. The property was eventually sold to a real estate management company for $250,000. According to prosecutors, the victim was living with relatives in Upstate New York at the time.
In January 2015, according to the district attorney’s office, the homeowner discovered the fraud because she was in contract to sell the home for $900,000. The fraud was discovered after the prospective purchaser did a title check and discovered the false deed on record. The homeowner immediately began civil litigation to undo the fraud.
Callaway was indicted in November 2017 and hired an attorney who negotiated a surrender, but he failed to do so and instead evaded arrest. He was finally arrested in late 2020 in Suffolk County.
“This defendant callously took advantage of an elderly woman, stealing and selling her home while she was living with relatives,” Gonzalez said in a statement following the sentencing. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for this despicable crime and sends a strong message to would-be scammers and deed thieves that we will seek serious penalties for those who victimize Brooklyn homeowners.”
The district attorney shared tips for homeowners in an effort to avoid another similar scenario. According to prosecutors, homeowners should:
- Make sure the NYC Dept. of Finance has the correct address to receive property notices.
- Designate a trusted family member or friend to receive notices if you are unable.
- Register with the NYC Department of Finance to receive automatic notifications regarding any changes to your deed or property records.
- Never sign any contract you do not understand.
- For more information visit http://brooklynda.org/deedfraud/
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