Man claims he is indigenous, has rights to other family's brand-new home

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A man in Gwinnett County found out the hard way you can't just declare someone else's half-million dollar home your own.

Joel Fedd was arrested after casing a home in Suwannee and eventually moving in -- when the home had actually just been bought by another family. Fedd claimed the home was his because he said he is an indigenous person who has rights to the land.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas was in the neighborhood, where residents say Fedd became belligerent when they confronted him.

On Saturday afternoon, Joel Fedd and his nephew taped themselves as they looked around the half-million dollar home on Settles Brook Court, explaining how they were Moors, indigenous people, who have a right to the land and house.

"Hey, you all can keep paying rent, you can think this is a game," Fedd said on the video. "You can think we are just cappin', but for real talk, we are taking the land back."

In the video, Fedd told viewers police had no standing to kick him out and even if they did come, all they would do is say it's a civil issue.

Neighbors said earlier this week, Fedd came back and moved in, in what police are calling a "sovereign citizen" case.

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Neighbor Jack Campbell gave Thomas pictures of the signs Fedd posted on the windows claiming ownership and warning others not to trespass.

"He had pulled all the blinds down and put private property and no trespassing (signs up)," Campbell said.

"I called the guy, and what was his response?" Campbell said. "He was belligerent: 'This is my house under this law and this law.'"

When the new owners came, they couldn't get into the house they had just purchased because he had changed the locks.

"They had to change the locks," Campbell said. "He came back and changed the locks again and they had to change them again."

In the video Fedd posted online, he even gave advice to other would-be home scammers on how to claim property.

"First thing you want to do is make sure it's vacant," Fedd told the camera. "Who's going to tell me I can't take it? Who's going to come take it from me? We are the law of the land, we are the landlords, we are the Moors."

When Gwinnett County police arrived, Campbell said Fedd argued with them too. He was arrested and charged with criminal trespass and making false statements.

Campbell is relieved Fedd has been removed from his neighborhood.

"At the time we were all worried about him," Campbell said. "We've got small kids in this neighborhood so we were all scared."

Thomas learned that the new owners have regained control of the house and are in the process of moving in.

Cox Media Group