Man connected to alleged south suburban squatting charged with burglary, forgery in Evergreen Park

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- A man accused of squatting in homes in the south suburbs has been charged with burglary and forgery in Evergreen Park.

Lashawn Rankine is a name that has come up in three alleged squatting cases.

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Now, the Chicago man has been charged with residential burglary and forgery: two felonies.

Police say they caught Rankine moving into a home in Evergreen Park that was on the market to be sold.

Officials also say Rankine knowingly made a fraudulent lease agreement for that same Evergreen Park property, with the intent to defraud the property owner, and he was arrested.

This week, the ABC7 I-Team reported that Rankine was being looked into for alleged squatting in Tinley Park, Hazel Crest and South Holland.

In a text message, Rankine denies any wrongdoing, saying in part, "I haven't committed any crimes against any one & I have not extorted any one. The realtors & property managers are the ones who rented to me without the owners having knowledge and act like they don't know what's going on. I have not forced entry at all I am not a criminal .I paid my money to rent and they gave me keys & lease. It's not my fault your 'property managers' & 'agents' are frauds."

As for the residential burglary and forgery charges he's facing out of Evergreen Park, Rankine said he isn't commenting on that open case.

He appeared in court this week, and has been released on pretrial conditions.

His next hearing is April 30.