Friday, July 15, 2011

Woman Who Witnessed Phony Docs Cops Plea, Gets Probation In Exchange For Deal To 'Sing' Against Co-Defendants In Alleged Home Hijacking Operation

In DeKalb County, Georgia, WSB-TV Channel 2 reports:

  • A woman pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to participating in a housing scheme involving 11 other people. Channel 2’s Carol Sbarge attended an arraignment for a dozen racketeering suspects at the DeKalb County Courthouse on Wednesday morning. It was the latest stage in the case against a group of people accused of using fraudulent deeds to take over metro Atlanta homes in foreclosure.


  • The suspects, or self-proclaimed sovereign citizens, were the subject of a Channel 2 investigation last year. Sovereign citizens claim they are immune from Georgia law and prosecution. Prosecutors said their beliefs don’t supersede the law. “They can believe in the spaghetti monster if they want to,” prosecutor John Melvin said in court.


  • The suspects face a maximum 20-year sentence for each count against them, but Wylissa Lawrence was sentenced to five years of probation and community service because of her guilty plea. The prosecution said she witnessed documents used to falsely get homes.


  • As part of her deal, she must testify against the others.(1) Melvin said the indictment against the group involves 18 properties.

Source: Woman Pleads Guilty In Housing Scheme.

(1) Another defendant in a multi-defendant prosecution wins the "race to the prosecutor's office," as she is the first to "belly up" to investigators and spill her guts to cut the best deal for herself.

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