What to Know
- A Long Island man will spend up to a decade behind bars for burglarizing the home of an 89-year-old woman after creating and using a fake power of attorney, Brooklyn prosecutors said Tuesday.
- Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Shavard Callaway, 48, of North Babylon, New York, was found guilty of two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of second-degree criminal possession of an instrument forgery, four counts of theft by forgery in the second degree and one count of forgery of business records in the first degree on November 18, 2022, after a jury trial.
- Gonzalez said, citing the evidence, that Callaway sold the octogenarian victim’s home, located on Chauncey Street, in 2014 after creating and using a fake 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.
NEW YORK — A Long Island man will spend up to a decade behind bars for burglarizing the home of an 89-year-old woman after creating and using a fake power of attorney, Brooklyn prosecutors said Tuesday.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced that Shavard Callaway, 48, of North Babylon, New York, was found guilty of two counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of second-degree criminal possession of an instrument forgery, four counts of theft by forgery in the second degree and one count of forgery of business records in the first degree on November 18, 2022, after 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 octogenarian victim’s home, located on Chauncey Street, in 2014 after creating and using a fake 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 owner discovered the fraud because she had a contract to sell the house for $900,000. The fraud was discovered after the prospective buyer did a title check and discovered the fake deed on record. The owner immediately launched civil litigation to undo the fraud.
Callaway was indicted in November 2017 and retained a lawyer who negotiated a surrender, but failed to do so and instead evaded arrest. He was finally arrested in late 2020 in Suffolk County.
“This defendant cruelly took advantage of an elderly woman, robbed and sold her home while she was living with relatives,” González said in a post-sentencing statement. “Today’s sentencing holds him accountable for this despicable crime and sends a strong message to con artists and deed thieves that we will seek severe penalties for those who victimize Brooklyn homeowners.”
The district attorney shared tips for homeowners in an effort to prevent another similar scenario. According to prosecutors, owners must:
- Make sure the New York City Department of Finance has the correct address to receive property notices. Designate a trusted family member or friend to receive notices if you are unable to do so.
- Sign up with the New York City Department of Finance to receive automatic notifications of any changes to your deed or property records.
- Never sign any contract you don’t understand.
- For more information, visit http://brooklynda.org/deedfraud/
