Condo Squatter Convicted of Multiple Charges

BAY COUNTY, FL - A man who used false documents to take ownership of a condo from an 85-year-old woman and her children was found guilty Tuesday and will remain jailed until his sentencing.

Olandis Dean Hobbs, also known as “Genesis Bey,” 37, was found guilty of Grand Theft Over $100,000, Fraudulent Use of Personal Identification Information (both First Degree Felonies), Unlawful Filing of False Documents or Records Against Real Property, Uttering a Forgery, and Forgery. Circuit Court Judge Dustin Stephenson set sentencing for July 23.

Prosecutor Josh James, who presented a case that jurors needed only 35 minutes to decide, said the Fraudulent Use of Personal Identification Information charge alone carries a minimum-mandatory 10-year sentence.

“This defendant is a dangerous man,” James said, “and this conviction is more than a win for the victims. He committed similar acts in other places, like New York, and was sued but never arrested. That may be acceptable in other places, but when he did it in Bay County he was arrested and held accountable.”

“His incarceration will protect all Bay County residents from falling victim to his cons and send a message to other like-minded fraudsters: If you come to Bay County and attempt to cheat our citizens out of their hard-earned property, you will be arrested, we will take you trial, and you will go to prison.”

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James called 9 witnesses – including 2 women who along with their 85-year-old mother owned the $700,000 condo through an LLC – and presented evidence proving that the defendant filed fraudulent paperwork with the Clerk of Circuit Court transferring ownership of the condo to himself in late 2022.

The defendant is accused of squatting in a condominium worth hundreds of thousands of dollars by creating fraudulent documents to claim ownership. He changed the locks and notified the condo's management of the change in ownership. The real owners discovered the situation when they sent a maid to clean the unit for guests, and she could not enter. The defendant was arrested on January 13, 2023, after barricading himself inside. Despite being in custody, he remained the listed owner of the property, forcing the real owners to pay monthly HOA fees and property taxes. The owners were also unable to obtain property insurance, leaving the unit at risk during the 2023 hurricane season.