A 67-year-old Long Beach, California, man pleaded guilty on July 27 for taking part in a home theft scheme in Orange County that resulted in approximately $2 million in losses.
Raymond Edward Jirak, who is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 24, pleaded guilty to single counts each of conspiracy and possession of a forged driver’s license and three counts of forgery, all felonies. As part of the plea deal, multiple other felony counts were dismissed along with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white-collar crime totaling over $500,000, according to court records.
Co-defendant Andrew Stephan Hutchings, 64, of Long Beach, pleaded not guilty in February to 35 felonies, including conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft, attempted grand theft, forgery, and possession of a forged driver’s license with sentencing enhancements for aggravated white collar crime exceeding $500,000.
Mr. Hutchings is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 7 in the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.
According to the criminal complaint in October 2020, Mr. Hutchings was accused of impersonating a homeowner to sell a home at 1634 W. Orangewood Ave. in Anaheim. The two were accused of forging the victim’s signature on a purchase agreement to sell the residence, the complaint alleged.
The two were also accused of placing orders for gold eagle coins from various vendors.
The same alleged conspiracy was attempted for a home at 20072 E. Frank Lane in Orange, according to the complaint.
Four homes were allegedly stolen in the scheme, according to the complaint. The home at 2843 W. Orange Ave. in Anaheim was estimated to be worth $415,000; a home at 1634 W. Orangewood Ave. in Anaheim was valued at $600,000; a home at 20072 E. Frank Lane in Orange was valued at $325,000; and a home at 11742 Della Ave. at Garden Grove was valued at $700,000, according to the complaint.
