A Maryland man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a scheme to bilk Connecticut homeowners facing foreclosure out of thousands of dollars by falsely promising to buy their homes and pay off their mortgages.

Bradford Barneys, of Odenton, Maryland, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He faces up to two decades in prison when he’s sentenced in June.

Federal prosecutors say Barneys and Timothy Burke, formerly of Easton, Connecticut, gained control of the homes and rented them out to tenants. Many of the properties were ultimately foreclosed upon.

Prosecutors say Barneys participated in dozens of meetings with Burke and homeowners at Barneys’ law office in Bridgeport from about 2011 to 2014.

Burke pleaded guilty last month and awaits sentencing.