Crime Time

Man gets 10 years probation in 'squatter' trial

David Cooper, the 26-year-old DeSoto man convicted of first-degree felony theft and burglary in Tarrant County's first "squatter" case, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

He was found guilty Wednesday of occupying a $405,000 Arlington home after filing an "adverse possession" affidavit. He could have received a life sentence for the theft charge and a maximum 20 years in prison for the burglary charge.

Jurors deliberated less than two hours before returning the sentence.

Yamil Berard covered the trial. Read her reports here. The penalty has drawn a vigorous response from readers; most of them say it was too easy.

 

 

Squatting trial to settle if man was legitimate occupier of Arlington home, or just a looter

A man is scheduled to go on trial this week, with a life sentence among the possible outcomes.

David Cooper of DeSoto is charged with first-degree felony charge of theft over $200,000. He also faces a charge of burglary that carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

It’s all because Cooper, 26, is accused of  "squatting" on a $405,000 home in northeast Arlington while the homeowner was receiving cancer treatments in Houston. His jury trial is scheduled to begin this week.

The case could turn on this question: Did Cooper plan to live at the property, which he claimed was abandoned, or was his intent to commit fraud and loot it?

Cooper contends he tapped an obscure Texas law that allows people to claim rights to abandoned or vacant properties as long they maintain the property and pay taxes on it.

But a year ago, Tarrant County District Attorney Joe Shannon deemed these arrangements were "fraudulent" and directed the county clerk's office not to accept them.

Dozens of people had taken ownership of more than $8 million in Tarrant property.

Read more in this report by Yamil Berard.