Deerfield lawyer gets prison for mortgage fraud

FORT LAUDERDALE  — A federal court judge Friday sentenced a Deerfield Beach lawyer and title agent to eight years in prison for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme.

U.S. district court Judge William Dimitrouleas also sentenced Howard Gaines to three years of supervised release and to pay $422,465 in restitution. Gaines, a lawyer and agent with Your Title Choice of Deerfield, helped co-conspirator Anthony Dehaney and others close more than $10 million in loans, including $5 million in fraudulent mortgages, according to federal authorities.

A jury in December found Gaines guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud. His was the sixth conviction in the case.