BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, MI — A three-month investigation into real-estate fraud led to the arrest of a 36-year-old man in Buena Vista Township on Thursday, May 8.

Detective Sgt. Greg Klecker said the man was involved in fraudulent acquisitions of homes in Buena Vista and the city of Saginaw.

Buena Vista police were assisted by the detectives from the Saginaw County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police Emergency Services Team in the execution of search warrants of the man’s listed residence.

State police located the man at 4647 Hess in Buena Vista Township and turned him over to Buena Vista police. The Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team seized drugs from the home, authorities said.

The man is accused of a racketeering scheme where he obtained a list of properties in tax arrears, gathered deed holder information and filed fraudulent quitclaims deeding those properties to himself, Klecker said.

In two of the cases, the grantors listed on the deeds had died a few years prior to their supposed signatures.

The investigation began when detectives received a complaint by a deed holder living in another state who reported that someone was living in their home in Buena Vista.

Klecker said detectives examined several quitclaim deeds filed with the Saginaw County Register of Deeds office listing the man as the grantee. Detectives interviewed several county employees who witnessed frequent visits by the man, who made inquiries about properties and actively filed new deed transfers.

The Register of Deeds, treasurer and county clerk assisted with the investigation by supplying documents, Klecker said.

Police also searched the home of a Buena Vista Township woman, who was interviewed and released pending further investigation.

A complaint and warrant request has been submitted to the Saginaw County Prosecutor’s office, and police anticipate the issuance of several felony counts against the man.

Bob Johnson is a public safety reporter for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-395-3295, by email at bob_johnson@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.