The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
Two individuals were arrested when a neighbor informed the authorities that the couple moved into a home on the Gulf Coast without permission and allegedly ran an ad to rent out the dwelling.
According to reports, homes in the unincorporated Sarasota County town of Nokomis were damaged during recent hurricanes. Several owners and residents have been working on repairs, so when a couple began staying in an unoccupied local home and started cleaning it up, it did not initially seem out of the ordinary. After the man pressure-washed the outside of the house, he asked the neighbor across the street to pay him for the job. Requesting money from the individual raised red flags, and the neighbor decided to notify the authorities so the police could determine if everything going on was above board. The neighbor also reported seeing a “for rent” listing for the house when they were on Facebook.
The homeowner, who was in Jacksonville, learned about the situation when they talked to deputies with the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office. They said they did not permit anyone to be in the house and wanted to press charges against the alleged squatters. When deputies went to the residence, they reported that there was fresh food in the fridge, in addition to other indications that the couple had been living there. When they spoke to the authorities, they said they were there because they were hired to take care of the mess.
The pair was taken into custody and booked into the Sarasota County Jail. The woman is facing multiple preliminary charges including scheme to defraud $50,000 or more, unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, and use of a 2-way communication device in the furtherance of a felony. The man is expected to face a formal charge of unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure. According to facility records, both parties were released on bond.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.