Crawford Foreclosure Fraud Suspect Arrested After Multi-State Fugitive Investigation
A man accused of attempting to purchase a foreclosed property in Crawford with a fraudulent business check has been arrested in Houston and is now facing multiple felony charges in McLennan County.
Michael Lawrence Warren, 47, was taken into custody on Wednesday after a coordinated investigation led by the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force. Warren, who was wanted for forging a $1.8 million check, was arrested in a hotel in southwest Houston.
At the time of his arrest, he was reportedly using several aliases and was found with multiple forms of identification and financial accounts under different names.
The investigation began in April 2024 when Warren, acting as a trustee for The SoVo Trust Foundation, allegedly sent a forged business check along with a real estate contract to a local bank in an attempt to purchase a foreclosed property in Crawford.
Upon discovering that the check was counterfeit, the bank alerted the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, leading to the start of a formal investigation.
The case escalated as authorities traced Warren’s whereabouts to Houston. There, he was arrested on October 30, 2024, by members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force. A search of his hotel room uncovered additional evidence, which has led to further federal charges.
Warren is now facing a first-degree felony forgery charge for an amount exceeding $300,000, along with various other charges related to his actions across multiple states.
Authorities continue to investigate additional criminal activity tied to the items recovered during his arrest. Warren remains in custody at the McLennan County Jail.