A Santa Barbara County man could face up to seven years in prison after prosecutors say he was convicted of trying to use a forged deed to claim ownership of a vacant home.
Nicholas Baucom was convicted on eight felony counts ranging from commercial burglary to forgery of a deed.
Prosecutors say on three different occasions, Baucom took forged paperwork to the Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder’s office, trying to claim ownership of the home.
An employee became suspicious, and reported what was happening to the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit, which led to the man’s arrest and conviction.
Investigators say the owners of the home lives outside of the area, and that Baucom had been squatting in the house.
