ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A man accused of orchestrating a sophisticated property scam involving forged quitclaim deeds is now in custody, according to St. Louis County Police.
Authorities allege James Townes Jr. fraudulently transferred ownership of four homes into his company’s name, Tied Tight Entertainment LLC, by forging signatures and impersonating a notary. The scam reportedly spanned 11 months, with investigators linking Townes to a broader scheme dating back to 2021.
According to a probable cause statement, Townes filed quitclaim deeds for the following properties:
June 21, 2024: 6071 Silver Fox Drive, Old Jamestown
Dec. 4, 2024: 14389 Wild Fox Court, Old Jamestown
Dec. 9, 2024: 1615 Derhake Road, Florissant
March 25, 2025: 10370 Renfrew Drive, Glasgow Village
Each deed included forged signatures of the original property owners. Police say Townes would pose as a notary, have the documents notarized under false pretenses, then submit them to the Recorder of Deeds Office weeks later—effectively stealing ownership of the homes.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Townes with:
Four counts of stealing – $25,000 or more
Four counts of possession of a forging instrument
Four counts of impersonating a notary public
Townes is currently held on a $100,000 cash-only bond. At the time of this report, online court records did not indicate a future court date.
Investigators believe the scam may be part of a wider pattern of real estate fraud in the area. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to contact St. Louis County Police.
