PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. — A man who illegally took over a condominium in Florida has been sentenced to 40 years in prison. Olandis Hobbs, 37, was found guilty earlier this month of using false documents to claim ownership of a condo valued at approximately $700,000 in the Panama City Beach area. The State Attorney’s Office of the 14th Judicial Circuit announced his sentencing on Tuesday.
“I hope this sends a strong message,” said State Attorney Larry Basford. “Do not come to Northwest Florida and try to steal people’s identifications and property by squatting because we will not tolerate this.”
Hobbs’ 40-year sentence includes 25 years for the fraudulent use of personal identification information and 15 years for grand theft over $100,000. Additionally, he faces 30 years of probation.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Hobbs filed fraudulent paperwork in late 2022 with the Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court to transfer ownership of the condo to himself. The property is legally owned by an 85-year-old woman and her children. Hobbs has a history of similar actions in other locations, such as New York, where he faced lawsuits but was never arrested.
“This might be your first significant conviction, but it is a doozy,” Judge Dustin Stephenson remarked during sentencing. “You stole rest from the sunset of someone’s life and should be punished for it.”
Reports indicate that after fraudulently claiming ownership of the condo, Hobbs changed the locks and informed condo management officials of the supposed change in ownership. The legal owners, who live out of state, learned of the situation from a maid.
The Panama City Beach Police Department served a search warrant and arrested Hobbs on January 13, 2023. “The minimum sentence required by law was 10 years,” the state attorney’s news release stated. “Stephenson said there are matters of forgiveness and matters of justice, and forgiveness is not his to give, but justice is.”
Hobbs was convicted of five felony charges, including unlawful filing of false documents, grand theft over $100,000, fraudulent use of personal identification information, uttering a forgery, and forgery. Also known as “Genesis Bey,” Hobbs used forged documents to transfer ownership of the condo to himself, a property owned by an elderly woman and her daughters.
Prosecutors revealed that Hobbs’ actions left the victims without property insurance because the unit was listed under Hobbs’ name. This left the property unprotected during the 2023 hurricane season. The victims had to continue paying HOA fees and property taxes to keep their condo safe despite the ongoing legal battle.
Judge Stephenson emphasized the gravity of the crime during sentencing, saying, “You stole rest from the sunset of someone’s life and should be punished for it.” Both daughters of the elderly woman spoke at the sentencing, expressing relief at the sentence but noting the lasting financial impact of Hobbs’ crime.
Hobbs, dubbed a “Squatter on Steroids” by prosecutors, will now spend 40 years in prison, followed by 30 years of probation. The Panama City Beach Police Department and the victims were praised for their persistence and testimony throughout the case.
“This sentence sends a strong message to anyone who would steal another person’s personal identification information and unlawfully occupy their property as a squatter,” State Attorney Larry Basford said. “Actions have consequences.”
