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Attempt to steal a home is alleged

A neighbor lured the son of the mentally disabled victim into a scheme where she'd receive the house for $1,800, a Largo detective says.

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published March 22, 2005

LARGO - It was a bold attempt to steal the home of a vulnerable woman, according to investigators.

Patricia Rech, 47, who is mentally disabled, was in Pinellas County jail last summer on a battery charge. She suffers from delusions and paranoia, investigators said.

While she was incarcerated, longtime neighbor Stormy Train lured Rech's 20-year-old son Christopher Rech into a scheme that he never fully understood, said Largo police Detective James Monahan.

According to the detective, Train, 25, persuaded Christopher Rech to get power of attorney over his mother and then transfer the deed to her home to Train. In exchange, Train would pay $1,800 in back taxes and give him $70,000 when she sold the home, valued at $93,300, Monahan said.

"She was telling Christopher, "You're going to lose the house anyway because of the tax lien, and I'm going to do you a favor,"' Monahan said. "He thought, somehow in his mind, that because there was a lien, he couldn't sell the house, but Stormy could."

Train never gave him any money and later filed a civil case to evict the Rechs from the 1,130-square-foot home on 24th Street SW in Largo, Monahan said.

Train turned herself in to Largo police Friday afternoon and was charged with first-degree scheme to defraud. She was released later that day after posting $50,000 bail. Christopher Rech has not been charged in the case.

"This is one of the worst wrongful arrest cases I've laid my eyes on in 20 years," said John Trevena, the attorney representing Train. "The idea that this house was some great benefit to my client is insane."

According to Trevena, Christopher Rech approached Train, saying that because of her long friendship with the family, they wanted her to have the house so it would not be auctioned. "They insisted she take it," Trevena said.

Trevena said Train passed a polygraph test. He also said he had copies of electronic messages showing the son knew what he was doing when he transferred the deed to Train.

"Christopher Rech bragged about how he was going to dupe the police and courts into believing that they are mentally disabled," Trevena said.

Monahan said he thinks Train manufactured those e-mails to cover up her culpability.

The Rech family could not be reached for comment.

Monahan also dismissed Train's polygraph test, saying the questions were not relevant.

"It's almost comical when you think of her defense," the detective said. "She's getting a $100,000 home for 1,800 bucks. That's really what this boils down to."

Monahan said that shortly after taking ownership of the house, Train took out a $50,000 mortgage on the property, using some of it to pay the back taxes.

During his investigation, Monahan said he arranged a recorded phone call between Train and Christopher Rech in which "she told him, "We planned it."'

"Throughout the conversation, Stormy was trying to lead Christopher," he said.

Trevena said Train was the victim, asserting that the Rech family turned to her to get the taxes paid and the house renovated.

"What evidence do they have that she defrauded them?" Trevena said. "The truth will come out."

[Last modified March 22, 2005, 01:21:16]