Man pleads guilty to bilking Saline women he promised to help avoid foreclosure

Posted on Sat, Mar 26, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.

Man pleads guilty to bilking Saline women he promised to help avoid foreclosure

By Art Aisner

A Grosse Pointe man was convicted this week of bilking three Saline women who turned to him for help to avoid foreclosure.

Bryan Crevier, 50, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false pretenses and avoided a jury trial scheduled to start Monday, Washtenaw County court records show.

Prosecutors will dismiss three counts of larceny by conversion between $1,000 and $20,000 at sentencing May 11.

Bryan Crevier

Authorities charged Crevier last spring after a lengthy investigation by Saline police showed he took nearly $10,000 from the three women who were in financial hardship and wanted to refinance their homes. He presented himself as a mortgage modification consultant but never submitted the victim’s payments or paperwork to lenders. Under a sentencing agreement with Circuit Judge Archie Brown, Crevier must repay at least half the full amount he took from the women in 2008, or he faces 60 days in jail, records show. The entire amount of restitution, which has not been determined yet, must be paid within two years or he faces another 60 days incarceration.

Court officials said Crevier submitted checks of $1,000 to each victim at the plea hearing to avoid jail immediately. He remains free pending sentencing.

Crevier is currently on probation for running a similar scam in Macomb County. He was sentenced to one year probation last fall on two counts of fraud by false pretenses, prison records show. He must also meet a dozen conditions, including repayment to those victims and not leaving the state without the court’s permission.

Comments

newsreader

Sun, Apr 3, 2011 : 6:28 p.m.

Any Washtenaw County resident can call the Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Program at 734-222-9595 or email them at mfpp@ewashtenaw.org. They have no cost housing counselors and budget counselors who can help. More information at <a href="http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/treasurer/MFP" rel='nofollow'>http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/treasurer/MFP</a>.

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball

Sun, Mar 27, 2011 : 9:20 p.m.

60 days to steal $10k - - no wonder there are so many thieves.

WhyCan'tWeBeFriends

Sun, Mar 27, 2011 : 3:56 p.m.

Homeowners don't need to pay for advice when they are in financial trouble with their mortgages. The Extension Service of Washtenaw County offers help to homeowners facing foreclosure, free of charge. They will contact the lender for the homeowner, review options for loan modification, can advise on short-selling the property if that is the only option, and discuss the consequences of short sales, foreclosures, loan modifications, etc. Local branches of banks and credit unions may have debt counselors who offer helpful advice at no charge too. Agreed, a 60 day penalty is ridiculous for this offense. The individual's supposed non-action wasted time that could have been used addressing the problems appropriately. I hope the individuals did not lose their homes to foreclosure due to delay.

ChelseaBob

Sun, Mar 27, 2011 : 3:08 p.m.

Multiple offenses bilking those in need, even while he's on probation for the same crime, and the worst he's going to get is 60 days? We need to bring back road crews. A few years hard labor will cure this.

zip the cat

Sun, Mar 27, 2011 : 1:50 p.m.

So what do you have to do to get a worth while sentence in this county. Sounds like another skap on the wrist to me. I guess if your a law enforcement officer you have to ask yourself. Why am I wasteing my time to catch these crooks when the judges just let them off with a. NO NOTHING SENTENCE.

DBH

Sun, Mar 27, 2011 : 1:04 a.m.

The name of the city is Grosse Pointe, not Grosse Point.

Jen Eyer

Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 1:07 a.m.

Thank you, DBH. The spelling has been corrected.

The Inspector

Sun, Mar 27, 2011 : 12:57 a.m.

The sentencing for this crime of "stealing" almost $10,000, seems like Mr.Crevier is getting off easy. Lets see he is already on probation for the same type of crime and he has not stopped yet. So he has 2 years to pay or face 60 days incarceration...60 days that's all. I guess he will have some time to rip off a few more people to help pay his dues.