MACON, Ga. — Bibb County prosecutors say a former sheriff's deputy and five other people illegally tried to take possession of six homes they didn't own.
A grand jury on Tuesday charged the former deputy, Albert Murray, with three counts of racketeering activity, two counts of filing false documents and one count of theft by taking.
According to the indictment, investigators were tipped off when a real-estate agent and a potential buyer showed up at one home to find Murray and a locksmith changing the locks.
Bibb County Sheriff David Davis fired Murray 11 days later.
Also indicted Tuesday were Dimitrious Brown, Clifford Greene, Helen Greene, Anthony Simmons and Lemroyal James. They also face three counts of racketeering activity, under the state's "RICO" statute, and various fraud and theft charges.
The alleged fraud happened between November 2014 and May 2015, the indictment says.
It says Murray and the other suspects filed documents called "Notice of Contested Lien" or "Affidavit of Possession" to claim these vacant properties:
- 2562 Willis Drive
- 5407 Stratford Hills
- 1625 Ginny Drive
- 3553 Academy Lane
- 3020 Castlewood Drive
- 3691 Holley Lane
They also had the locks changed or had the utilities placed in their names at several of those homes, according to the indictment.
In 2015, Sheriff Davis said the suspects were part of what he called a "sovereign citizen movement."
The indictment says investigators found "Moorish/Sovereign Citizen" literature and other documents connected to the case in Murray's desk at the sheriff's office, in Clifford Greene's car and at a business that Greene owned at 646 Shurling Drive.
No trial date has been set for the six suspects.