This Chicago man did something wild when alleged squatters wouldn’t leave his home — he moved in with them. Here’s how his ‘nightmare’ unfolded and why you should never follow his lead

What went down

The intruders, a woman named Shermaine Powell-Gillard and her boyfriend, Codarro, claimed they had purchased the property and even produced a mortgage document for police. But when Velazquez checked with Cook County officials, no such mortgage was on record.

To his shock, the police couldn’t help.

“The worst thing happened when police told me they couldn’t do anything. It needs to go to a civil court,” he said, indicating that Illinois law prevented officers from removing the pair without a court order, despite Velazquez holding the deed.

Determined not to let go of his home, Velazquez made an unusual choice.

“I said, ‘I’m not going to leave.’ Called a couple friends, stayed overnight and I knew they were not going to like that,” he told ABC 7’s I Team.

He, his wife and some friends camped out in the living room while the alleged squatters took one of the bedrooms.

“We stayed a whole night with them … watching the door,” Velazquez recalled.

The next morning, Velazquez was given an ultimatum.

“They were like, we want $8,000 of what we paid, so we can leave your property,” he said.

Though reluctant, Velazquez eventually negotiated a cash-for-key deal. He paid the couple $4,300 in exchange for their leaving and signing a release, as he feared what might happen otherwise.

“We didn’t want to give them money, but we heard really bad stories about squatters taking over properties for six, eight, 10 months, even a year,” he said.

Weeks later, a police detective told Velazquez that Powell-Gillard had also allegedly squatted in another home owned by Marcia and Carlton Lee. In that case, Powell-Gillard was arrested and charged with burglary, forgery, obstructing identification and criminal residential trespassing.

Powell-Gillard has denied all accusations, stating that claims she is a squatter are “false and unfounded,” and emphasized that she is “innocent until proven guilty,” says ABC 7.

The Chicago Police Department has not confirmed if they're investigating Velazquez's case. No one has been arrested or charged.

Why police can’t always act — even when it’s your house

Velazquez’s case underscores a broader legal issue: why property disputes involving squatters often fall under civil — not criminal — law.