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Grand Jury Assigned To Stolen Homes Case

DENVER (CBS4)- A grand jury in Denver has been assigned a case about stolen houses -- homes that are under foreclosure and are occupied by people who are laying claim to the properties.

Alfonso Carrillo is the man at the center of the investigation. He is facing 15 different counts of forgery, theft and filing false documents. Carrillo insists he has done nothing wrong.

"I'm innocent. You haven't said I'm innocent. I haven't been found guilty and you are saying lies," said Carrillo outside of court Thursday.

Carrillo is accused of helping people move into homes that were under foreclosure. 4 On Your Side Investigator Rick Sallinger has uncovered at least a dozen such homes.

Some were sold to unsuspecting buyers like Mary Molinar.

"I feel so bad and I am crying and I said put yourself in my shoes -- you have kids and life is hard right now," said Molinar.

In Douglas County earlier this week one man possibly connected to the stolen homes case was arrested. He and his family have been living in a million dollar home in the Bell Ranch Mountain area.

He and others involved in the stolen homes case are suing law enforcement authorities and others in federal court. They claim they have a legal right to the homes.

When asked why those people were arrested if they have a right to be in the homes, Carrillo answered, "It's going to be resolved in the courts."

Carrillo is most likely counting on an old Colorado law called adverse possession to keep him out of jail for what's considered a modern day economic crime. Adverse possession allows take over of abandoned property if one holds it for many years.

Carrillo is scheduled to enter a plea next week.

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