Full Notification

LOCATION:   1300 Block of East 99^th Street, Los Angeles

UNIT:  Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Fraud & Cyber Crimes       Bureau

SUSPECT:    James Eleby, 26 year-old male

NARRATIVE:

On March 25, 2015, The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged 26-year-old James Eleby of Los Angeles with forgery, identity theft, procuring and offering a false instrument, and preparing false documentary evidence.  A warrant was issued for the arrest of Mr. Eleby.

It is alleged that in September 2014, Mr. Eleby moved into a vacant property located in the 1300 Block of East 99^th Street in Los Angeles.  The property was owned by Zamore Properties, LLC.  The allegation states that Mr. Eleby had no affiliation with Zamore Properties, however, he posed as a “manager” of Zamore Properties, and executed a quitclaim deed transferring ownership of the property to himself.  The quitclaim deed also bore the signature of a non-existent person who Mr. Eleby mistakenly believed was the owner of the property. 

When Zamore Properties filed a Quiet Title action in civil court, it is alleged that Mr. Eleby made false statements, in writing, to the court in order to maintain control of the property.  Mr. Eleby told Detective Derry, who investigated the case that he was trying to get control of the property by “adverse possession.”   

On April 13, 2015, Century Sheriff’s Station deputies arrested Mr. Eleby at the 99^th Street property.  Mr. Eleby was arrested and booked for the above listed charges and is being held in lieu of $110,000 dollars bail.  Mr. Eleby is scheduled to be arraigned on April 15, 2015. 

Detectives believe that Mr. Eleby has been involved in other “squatting” incidents throughout the Los Angeles area and are asking anyone with information to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Fraud & Cyber Crimes Bureau, Detective Christopher Derry at (562) 233-8204.

While “adverse possession” is a method of gaining legal title to real property, investigators are seeing a significant increase in the number of people who are doing it improperly by creating, and recording, false and fraudulent documents.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to advise the public that it is a felony to record a document bearing false or forged information.

Written by:

Detective Christopher Derry

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Fraud & Cyber Crimes Bureau

(562) 233-8204

Forwarded by:

Deputy Amber Smith

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Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

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