NEW YORK – Stacie Saunders, a former mortgage bank branch manager, is facing serious time after a Queens jury found her guilty of orchestrating a brazen scheme to steal homes from vulnerable New Yorkers. The conviction marks the final nail in the coffin for a ruthless deed theft ring that preyed on elderly and disabled homeowners in Jamaica and St. Albans, Queens, raking in over $1 million in illicit proceeds.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the victory following a grueling two-week trial. Saunders, who also moonlighted as a licensed real estate salesperson, wasn’t acting alone. She was a key player alongside Marcus Wilcher, disbarred attorney Anyekache Hercules, Jerry Currin, and Dean Lloyd – all now convicted for their roles in the predatory operation. The ring specifically targeted properties owned by absentee owners or estates, often in states of disrepair, making the owners easy marks.
The scheme was disturbingly sophisticated. Wilcher scouted vulnerable properties. Hercules forged the legal documents needed to transfer ownership illegally. Saunders, leveraging her financial expertise, then marketed the stolen homes to investors at deeply discounted prices. Wilcher didn’t stop at forged documents; he actively harvested personal information – Social Security numbers, birth dates – to create entirely fabricated identities, allowing accomplices to impersonate the rightful owners during contract signings and closings. Saunders handled the logistics, arranging attorneys, collecting paperwork, and scheduling the fraudulent closings.
Once the sales were finalized, the defendants systematically laundered the money, opening bank accounts in the names of the victims and funneling the stolen funds through a network of shell entities and LLCs. The total haul exceeded $1 million, representing a devastating loss for the targeted homeowners. Attorney General James minced no words, calling deed theft a “heartless crime” and vowing to relentlessly pursue those who exploit vulnerable communities. “With the conviction of Stacie Saunders, my office is proud to have secured justice,” she stated.
The jury convicted Saunders on a staggering 18 counts, including Three counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (class C felony), Two counts of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (class D felony), One count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (class E felony), Five counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree (class C felony), Two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree (class D felony), Three counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree (class E felony), and Two counts of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree (class E felony). The maximum sentence on the top count carries a potential prison term of five to 15 years, with consecutive sentences possible.
Saunders is set to be sentenced on June 11, 2025, by Judge Leigh Cheng. Hercules previously pleaded guilty to Scheme to Defraud and received a sentence of one and a half to three years. Wilcher received a sentence for Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. The arrests and indictments of all five defendants were originally announced by Attorney General James in December 2022. This case serves as a stark warning: exploiting vulnerable homeowners won’t pay – it will land you behind bars.
RELATED: Queens Deed Thief Saunders Gets 3-9 Years
Related Federal Cases
- Queens Deed Thief Saunders Gets 3-9 Years · New York
- Saunders Found Guilty in $1M Queens Deed Theft · New York
- Queens Woman Nabbed in $1.5M Deed Theft · New York
- Identity Thief Steele-Nelson Gets 8 Years · Massachusetts
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: NY AG
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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