Real estate scam leaves homeowners in limbo
LOS ANGELES -- Victor and Elva Garcia take pride
in their East Los Angeles home, with its carefully
cut lawn and blooming rose bushes in the front yard.
It holds more memories than Elva Garcia, 70, could
count -- it is, after all, the place where she grew
up. And for Victor Garcia, a look at the walls and
tile reminds him of the hard work he put in, practically
remodeling the place with his own hands.
"I know where every nail is in here," the
69-year-old said.
But the fate of their house is unknown. They recently
learned the place where they raised their three sons
may have been illegally usurped by a Monterey Park
couple. The suspects are accused of filing phony deeds
with the county to take ownership of other people's
homes without their knowledge.
On Oct. 26, a grand jury indicted Jesus Duran Aguayo
and his wife, Sofia Aguayo, both 52, on 22 counts
of burglary, vandalism, forgery and other crimes stemming
from what authorities call a squatter scam.
The two were originally held in lieu of $1.4 million,
but a judge set the husband's bail to $650,000, and
the wife's to $200,000.
Attorneys for the Aguayos did not return phone calls
seeking comment. A receptionist at the Law Offices
of James T. Duff, Sofia Aguayo's attorney of record,
said there is a gag order in the case.
It isn't the first time the Garcias have had to fight
for their home.
The couple successfully battled the Los Angeles Unified
School District two years ago when it nearly used
eminent domain in their neighborhood to make room
for a school.
"I love it here. I was raised here," Elva
Garcia said. "I grew up in this home. Then to
have something like this -- I mean I'm old. I don't
think my heart can take much more of this."
The Garcias were notified by mail that their home
was one of about 130 that the Aguayos may have targeted.
On Nov. 1, a judge appointed attorney David Pasternack
to act as a receiver for the homes the Aguayos are
accused of stealing, then renting out to tenants.
Pasternack said it is likely the Garcias' home will
be released from receivership once his office does
its research.
"Some may be legitimately owned," Pasternack
said.
Most of the 130 properties are occupied. They stretch
across three counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
and Riverside. The Aguyaos are accused in the indictment
of throwing out the victims' personal belongings,
such as family photographs and paintings.
Authorities say the Aguayos searched property tax
delinquencies, scoped out the homes and moved in if
no one seemed to live there.
Most of the alleged victims are elderly or infirm
in hospitals or nursing homes, officials at the California
Department of Justice said.
"Those shut-ins don't know," said Victor
Garcia Jr., the Garcias' son. "They zeroed in
on all these people who are shut-ins."
Anita Zapata of La Puente is also facing an uncertain
future. She had lived in a house on Inyo Street for
about 20 years. Every month, an older man she called
Mr. Baxter would collect the rent. About five or six
years ago, Mr. Baxter stopped coming around, she said.
Around the same time, the Aguayos inquired about
the house to neighbors, she said. The couple then
informed her they were the new owners and she would
be paying rent to them.
They came in and started fixing up the house, she
said.
The news of their arrest shocked Zapata, who said
her home is now in limbo. She doesn't know where to
turn.
"When I saw it on TV for the first time I wanted
to cry. I got to where I was liking these people,"
Zapata said. "I just feel bad it turned out this
way. I feel worse that other people got swindled."
The property owners listed for the home are not the
Aguayos, according to county records, which show that
Sofia Aguayo arranged it so all mail from the county
Assessor's Office regarding the property be sent to
her post office box in Downey.
"We don't consider her as one of the owners,"
said Robert Knowles, spokesman for the Los Angeles
County Assessor's office.
The people listed as owners of the home could not
be reached for comment. They have owned the home since
1968 and own two other properties in the San Gabriel
Valley, according to a records search.
The Aguayos' next court date is scheduled for Thursday.
They each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted
on all the charges, authorities said.
"I'm still in shock," Zapata said. "To
me, they were like the sweetest couple. But I was
deceived."
