A Margate woman was arrested Oct. 26 on a warrant for criminal use of personal identification information, according to Margate Police Department records. Police allege Sharon Joy Barnett, 56, used a fraudulent deed to take her ex-husband’s share of a home valued at about $500,000.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Barnett and her then-husband bought the house on Northwest 19th Court in October 2006 for about $265,000. The couple divorced in 2017 after about 11 years in the home. Under their divorce agreement, they planned to sell the property and split the proceeds once their daughter turned 18.
The scheme surfaced when the ex-husband contacted a real estate agent about listing the house. He learned that a quitclaim deed affecting his ownership interest had been recorded in March 2024, listing $10 in consideration. He told investigators in a sworn statement that he never signed the document or authorized anyone to sign for him, and that the recorded deed blocked him from selling.
Investigators interviewed the notary named on the deed. The affidavit says she first recalled notarizing it and said she had known Barnett for several years, but her account changed during questioning. Police said Barnett filed the deed, or caused someone else to file it, and that she did not give a statement despite several attempts to interview her.
A Margate officer stopped and arrested Barnett during a routine traffic stop on Oct. 26. She was taken to the Broward County Main Jail. The charges are allegations at this stage.
