Police. (Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons)
A disbarred attorney from the Pipersville community of Plumstead Township is facing felony charges after Bucks County detectives alleged he forged court documents in another man’s name to interfere with the sale of a New Hope commercial property.
Heywood Eric Becker, 82, of the 5300 block of Wismer Road, was charged Friday with two felony counts of forgery, and one misdemeanor count of barratry-vexing others with unjust and vexatious suits, according to a criminal complaint filed in county court. Detectives said Becker, who previously practiced law before being disbarred, personally filed the paperwork at the Bucks County Prothonotary’s Office.
Investigators said the case centers on 7 E. Ferry Street in New Hope, owned by Ferry Street Holdings LLC. On March 20, 2025, a writ of summons and a lis pendens were filed against the property under the name of “Stanley K. Benedict.” The documents, detectives said, bore Benedict’s purported signature.
But Benedict told detectives he had never signed or authorized the filings, and he moved swiftly to withdraw the lis pendens eight days later, authorities said.
According to investigators, the primary purpose of a lis pendens is to provide constructive notice to anyone interested in the property, such as potential buyers or lenders, that a lawsuit is pending that could affect the title or ownership of the property. A lis pendens does not prevent the owner from selling the property, but it does make the title uncertain, which could affect the ability to sell or obtain financing, police said.
The fraudulent lien came at a critical time, according to investigators. The property owner told detectives he had a 30-day court-ordered window to use the property sale proceeds to cure arrears on a Doylestown mortgage. He said the filing jeopardized that deadline and cost him between $50,000 and $80,000 in legal and investigative expenses to clear the matter, according to the complaint.
Prothonotary staff said they recognized Becker as the man who brought in the filings, pointing to formatting consistent with his prior submissions, detectives said. Surveillance video from the office showed an older white male entering near the filing time, whose appearance did not match Benedict, according to the complaint.
The affidavit also details follow-up communications after the lien was withdrawn. The property owner reported receiving texts from a phone number he believed belonged to Becker and a letter dated April 11, 2025, signed “Newton DiLone” and mailed from a Carversville post office box that investigators linked to Becker, detectives said.
Detectives documented other alleged dealings involving Becker and properties connected to Benedict. One property owner, who held a mortgage on a Solebury Township property, told police Becker offered $381,000 to buy the debt and gave him a $5,000 check — even though another bidder had already entered negotiations, detectives said.
Becker later claimed a deal existed and pursued civil litigation, according to the complaint. The other bidder acknowledged to detectives that he had a business relationship with Becker, police said.
Becker is accused of making and uttering the forged writ and lis pendens as the act of another, and barratry, described as “vexing others with unjust and vexatious suits.”
According to court records, Becker is free on $10,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing date is set for Sept. 22 before Magisterial District Judge Mark D. Douple. Becker has retained Doylestown attorney Gregory McCarthy, according to court documents.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
