New York – The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has announced the arrest and indictment of Chenenne Guevarra-Francis, a retired NYPD detective; Merrick Dammar, an attorney; and Barbara Guevarra-Francis, her mother, for the heartless crime of deed theft. They are accused of stealing a $340,000 share of a family home in the Bronx using forged documents.
Chenenne Guevarra-Francis and Barbara, with the help of attorney Dammar, executed their plan after Charmein Guevarra-Samuel’s death in 2020. They used a forged deed to transfer ownership of Charmein’s share, which should have legally passed to Charmein’s widowed husband.
The theft was exposed when Charmein’s husband sought letters of administration for his wife’s estate. The OAG successfully blocked Chenenne’s eviction attempt using a new deed theft law.
Chenenne Guevarra-Francis, Barbara Guevarra-Francis, and Merrick Dammar face several charges including Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Forgery in the Second Degree, and more. The maximum sentence for Grand Larceny is five to 15 years in prison.
Attorney General Letitia James emphasized the gravity of deed theft: “It’s particularly tragic when thieves are stealing from their own family members.” She vowed to continue combating deed theft to protect New Yorkers.
The OAG credits the New York State Police and the New York City Department of Finance for their assistance. The case was investigated by Detectives Teresa Russo, Christopher Ryan, Jennifer Garcia, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Juanita Bright and Detective Specialist John Collins. Assistant Attorneys General Lauren Sass and Joy Kieras are handling the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: NY AG
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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