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Dispute over house moves to civil court

Fraud charges are dropped, but a court still will decide whether a woman legitimately acquired the deed.

By JACOB H. FRIES
Published September 14, 2005

LARGO - Criminal charges against a woman accused of trying to steal the home of a disabled neighbor have been dropped, leaving ownership of the house to be fought out in civil court, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Stormy Train, 26, had been arrested in March on a charge of first-degree scheme to defraud.

Police investigators said at the time that Train tricked Christopher Rech, 20, into helping her gain title to the home of Christopher's mother, Patricia, who is mentally disabled.

"It was a very close call," said Michael Marr, an assistant state attorney. "Without a doubt, there was probable cause to make an arrest. ... But in the end, we decided it was best resolved as a civil matter."

John Trevena, Train's defense attorney, claimed vindication, saying police detectives had conducted a poor investigation and assumed a crime had occurred, rather than accept that the Rechs had simply given Train the house as a gift.

"What does my client really gain?" Trevena said. "She's gaining a house that is in extremely poor condition, in need of expensive remodeling."

Christopher Rech was never charged because investigators did not think he fully understood what he was doing, said Largo police Detective James Monahan.

Train took control of the house last summer while Patricia Rech, who suffers delusions and paranoia, was in county jail on a battery charge, Monahan said.

Christopher Rech got power of attorney over his mother and then transferred the deed to her home to Train.

In exchange, the detective said, Train told Christopher Rech that she would pay $1,800 in back taxes and give him $70,000 when she sold the home, valued at $93,300.

That never happened.

Train filed a civil case to evict the Rechs from the 1,130-square-foot home on 24th Street SW in Largo.

The eviction proceeding, which had been postponed during the criminal investigation, will now go forward. The Rechs have filed a countersuit.

The Rech family, who still live in the house, could not be reached for comment.

John Richard Haggitt, the attorney representing Patricia Rech, did not return messages Tuesday.

D. Scott McLane, the attorney handling Train's civil case, declined to comment.

Trevena said he had instructed Train not to answer any questions.

Monahan, meanwhile, was disappointed that the charges had been dropped.

"To have a home taken underneath a mentally disabled woman, it's pretty hard for anyone to view that as being legitimate," he said.

[Last modified September 14, 2005, 02:15:34]