ST. LOUIS – A man already facing local charges for trying to steal people’s homes out from under them has now drawn the ire of federal prosecutors.

James. L. Townes Jr., 50, was charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court back in April with four counts of stealing – $25,000 or more, four counts of possession of a forging instrument, and four counts of acting as or impersonating a notary.

County prosecutors allege Townes filed multiple bogus quitclaim deeds at the Recorder of Deeds’ Office on four different homes.

However, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri now claim Townes conspired with another person to steal 16 homes and a duplex with fake deeds.

A grand jury indicted Townes on June 25 with one count of mail fraud, one count of access devi

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