In the following press release Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey today [June 5, 2009] announced that a Prince George’s County grand jury found David Alexander, 37, of North Bethesda, MD guilty of Theft over $500 and Unauthorized Practice of Law in representing Renata Brevard, 45, of Prince Georges County, MD, who hired him to help her recover her home from a mortgage scam.

He faces up to 20 years in prison total - 15 years for theft over $500 and up to five years for unauthorized practice of law and or a fine of $5000.

Assistant State’s Attorney, April N. Richardson in the SAO Mortgage Fraud Unit was the prosecutor. Doubly victimized, Ms. Brevard fell prey to foreclosure fraud washe was first mistreated by foreclosure scammers who took her home and then by the attorney that she hired to fight back against the scammers.

On November 11, 2007, Ms. Brevard hired Defendant, David Alexander, an attorney to help get back her home and to sue the scammers. Alexander charged her $13,000 to file suit against the scammers, get back her home and stop the subsequent foreclosure on her home. Although he assured her that he was performing his duties. However, Ms. Brevard learned that Alexander failed to keep his promises when she came home in April 2009, and all of her family’s belongings had been evicted and thrown on the street. On the day of the eviction, she contacted Alexander who assured her that he was handling her legal matters and that the eviction was an error. She had made her last payment to Alexander in January 2009. After the eviction day, he never called her back. She later learned that he had been disbarred from the practice of law in August 2008. As a result of his disbarment, he was not allowed to practice law in the State of Maryland. Not only did he fail to notify the victim of his disbarment, but he continued to hold himself out as her lawyer and continued to take her money. In April 2009, the victim learned that the defendant never filed suit against the scammers and did nothing to stop the foreclosure sale on her home. She lost 905 of her and her families belongings including her two-year old granddaughter’s leg braces.

For more information, please contact Sharon Dukes in the State’s Attorneys’ Office.