Squatter Faces 69 Years for Trying to Steal 20 Houses

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A squatter who threw a neighborhood cookout when she first moved into a Cheltenham house was convicted Monday of forging documents to steal 20 homes in Prince George’s County.

Authorities said squatting is a holdover from the financial and housing crisis of the last decade.

WJLA TV reports that Qiana Johnson and a corrupt real estate agent, Shannon Lee, worked together to enter a falsified deed at the county administration building showing they bought the Cheltenham house for $150,000.

Lee was convicted in August 2014 for planning the scam that targeted more than 20 homes going into foreclosure and forged ownership documents.

Authorities said some of the homes in the county were rented, one was sold and then Johnson moved into the Cheltenham home.

In 2013, Johnson moved her family into a vacant house. When the owners, who had moved out of state, tried to sell it, neighbors Johnson had moved in, authorities said.

“The owners filed a civil suit to have Qiana removed and learned she produced a forged contract and a deed stating she was the owner,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks told WTOP.

Johnson also produced a fake canceled check for a down payment she never made, the prosecutor says.

“When all of this was discovered, rather than move out, Ms. Johnson decided to file a civil suit against the rightful owners for trying to have her evicted,” Alsobrooks says.

Johnson faces up to 69 years in prison when she is sentenced next month.

»Convicted squatter Qiana Johnson; photo from the Prince George’s County Police Department

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