Ex-Centerville man sentenced for fraud

CINCINNATI, Ohio (WDTN) - Julian M. Hickman, 32, of East Cleveland and formerly of Centerville, was sentenced Dec. 10, 2009 to 33 months in prison for operating an extensive mortgage fraud scheme affecting 210 residential properties, including 205 in Montgomery County between 2002 and 2006. Hickman was also sentenced to pay a $12,500 fine and serve three years of supervised release after his time in prison.

The scheme affected 63 investors and led to foreclosure against owners of more than 90 percent of the properties.

Hickman pleaded guilty in December 2008 to two counts of conspiracy and three counts of willful failure to file income tax returns. Hickman admitted that between March 2002 and June 2008, he and others recruited unsuspecting individuals to buy residential properties, the majority of which were low income, dilapidated and otherwise depressed residential properties, at prices artificially inflated above legitimate fair-market values.

Hickman admitted that he participated in 107 separate fraudulent real estate closings between March 2002 and June 2006. Hickman and his co-conspirators netted more than $3.8 million from the deals.