Mortgage scammer sentenced

In federal court in Sacramento on Friday (May 11), William Baker of Chico was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a Chico-based mortgage scam, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Baker, 66, who pleaded guilty to mail fraud, caught a break due to his “frail health and other mitigating factors,” the press release said. The owner of Baker & Baker Construction was indicted in June 2010 for falsifying the sales price of five houses he built and sold in 2007. He kicked back money—$160,000 altogether—to his fellow conspirators after escrow closed on the houses.

Others involved in the scam include local builder Anthony Symmes, who was sentenced last month to two years, 11 months, as well as Garret Gililland III and Shane Burreson, who have pleaded but not yet been sentenced.