BROOKLYN, NY – A North Babylon man who defrauded an 89-year-old woman out of her home by falsifying documents is going to prison. Unfortunately, the woman passed away six months after being defrauded, but the home has been returned to her estate.
Shavard Callaway, 48, of North Babylon, New York, was sentenced by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu to an indeterminate term of five to 10 years in prison.
Callaway 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.
“This defendant callously took advantage of an elderly woman, stealing and selling her home while she was living with relatives,’ District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. “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.”
Gonzalez said that acccording to the evidence, the defendant sold the home of an 89-year-old woman, located at 654 Chauncey Street, in December 2014 after creating and using a forged power of attorney and claiming to be the nephew of the homeowner. The property was sold to WI Management for $250,000.
In January 2015, the homeowner discovered the fraud because she was in contract to sell the home for $900,000. The prospective purchaser did a title check and discovered the false deed on record. Thereafter, the homeowner immediately began civil litigation to undo the fraud.
Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez
The defendant was indicted in November 2017 and hired an attorney who negotiated a surrender, but the defendant failed to surrender and evaded arrest. He was finally arrested in late 2020 after being located in Suffolk County.