Sierra Title and escrow officer in McAllen face federal charges in alleged home-buying fraud

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Federal records obtained by ABC-7 show a Sierra Title office in McAllen, along with an escrow officer, are accused of a scheme to defraud potential homebuyers.

The documents allege that the escrow officer would accept money for down payments and closing costs and sign off on the sales. But oftentimes, the property wasn't for sale, the properties were sold multiple times to different people at the same time, and the documents were all falsified, according to the court records.

The case was filed in May of this year, but the scheme is alleged to have taken place since 2020.

The details in that case are similar to the case involving Sierra Title here in El Paso, where over a dozen potential home buyers claim they were scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars each in a scheme that took place over a four-year span.

"I contacted the seller on Facebook, I told them I wanted the property, and he took us to Sierra Title to close the deal," Joevana Casillas told ABC-7. "That's where I gave the $15,000 down payment, but I never got a closing. To this day, I haven't got a closing. I asked for my money back and I haven't seen a dime."

Casillas said she and her husband sold their mobile home in order to pay $15,000 towards a down payment and $1,500 in closing costs on a home at 371 George Orr Road in the lower valley.

Casillas provided ABC-7 documentation showing Sierra Title signed off on her purchasing paperwork. But the house at George Orr is not in her name, according to the Central Appraisal District website.

"The property that I was buying belonged to Laura Marquez, the escrow officer of Sierra Title. It was under her name," Casillas said.

Documentation on the CAD website shows the home does indeed belong to Laura Marquez, and Marquez is listed as an escrow officer on the Sierra Title website. A document on the El Paso County website shows that 371 George Orr is being foreclosed upon and was put up for auction at the beginning of July.

"Even if I have to leave the house, I don't want nothing to do with them, with Sierra Title," Casillas said. "I just want my money back. I just want justice for all the families."

Casillas is one of the numerous counter plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Sierra Title who claims the title company is engaging in deceptive business practices.

ABC-7 reviewed 18 signed and notarized affidavits filed with the court records, and all of them state the potential homebuyers interacted with Laura Marquez, Federico Aguirre, Edward Romo, or all three.

The defendants claim Aguirre and Romo presented themselves as the home sellers online, in person and during the closings at Sierra Title.

According to the counter plaintiffs and documents ABC-7 found on the El Paso County website and the state comptroller's office website, Aguirre is associated with The Capulet Investment Company and Romo is associated with Versus FNF, LLC, both of which are also named in the counter claim.

Based on their notarized statements submitted to the court, combined, the residents gave Romo, Aguirre or Marquez $427,251 in cash for down payments and closing costs from 2020 to 2024.

Many of them now claim the paperwork was done incorrectly, they've lost money and are in danger of losing their investments.

"I'm mentally tired," Casillas said, with a sigh. "I will have to leave the house. I will lose my money and my property because they don't want to give me back my money."

ABC-7 contacted the attorney listed in court filings as representing Romo and Aguirre for comment, or to be put in contact with them for this report.

The attorney said he would pass along the message, but they haven't reached out to ABC-7.

Sierra Title is suing Casillas and 11 others for damages up to $1 million, claiming wrongful disparaging of their business.

ABC-7 has request a comment from Sierra Title several times, and hasn't heard back, but Friday night ABC-7 received a statement from Laura Marquez, which states that she was forced to foreclose on the property at George Orr due to what she said was lack of rental payment by the tenant, and the eviction process will be handled "with professionalism."

But again, Casillas maintains she never intended to be a renter of the home, but its owner.