Related Federal Cases
Deed Fraudster Roland Gets 10 Years Federal Prison
HOUSTON – Clarence Roland III, 61, of Dallas, is headed to federal prison after being convicted of orchestrating a multi-million dollar deed fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal sentenced Roland to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $3,251,897.41 in restitution and a money judgment of $1,984,642.09 was entered against him.
The guilty verdict, delivered by a federal jury on September 20, 2022, followed an eight-day trial. Roland was found guilty on all counts, including conspiracy to commit and committing wire fraud, as well as money laundering. Judge Rosenthal made it clear during sentencing that Roland knowingly engaged in illegal activity and personally profited from the fraud.
The scheme dates back to 2009, when Roland began working with Arlando Jacobs, 57, of Oakland, California, to cancel and challenge legitimate mortgage loans. The pair operated under aliases – Roland as Joshua Stein, and Jacobs as Caleb Wright or Dexter Ponzey – and established a network of over 11 shell companies with offices in Houston, The Woodlands, and Katy. These entities were used to facilitate the fraudulent transfer of property titles.
Prosecutors presented evidence showing Roland and his co-conspirators fraudulently acquired real estate by manipulating and filing false deeds and other documents. They then sold these properties, pocketing the profits while leaving the original mortgage holders unpaid. This resulted in significant losses for mortgage companies and forced title insurance companies to cover claims from unsuspecting buyers who unknowingly purchased properties with clouded titles. The scheme involved fabricated documents, forged notary stamps, and the repeated use of the same names to represent different shell companies.
Roland’s defense argued that the law permitted him to manipulate property records to transfer titles free of mortgages, a claim the jury rejected. They found him guilty as charged. Co-conspirator Arlando Jacobs previously pleaded guilty in an unrelated fraud case in the Eastern District of Texas, receiving a 51-month prison sentence and ordered to pay $7.6 million in restitution.
Roland remains in custody awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (OIG), and Housing and Urban Development – OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Braddock and John Wakefield prosecuted the case. This case serves as a harsh reminder that those who attempt to defraud the financial system will be held accountable.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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