Sentencing Update in California False Glass Claim Ring

Six suspects arrested as part of a glass harvesting ring pleaded no contest to felony charges of insurance fraud and personal identification theft on Tuesday.

Felisha Blackmon, Aaron Bonner, Darryl Cartwright, Bonita Clayborn, David Ludd, and Atlakea Scott all pleaded guilty to charges associated with their involvement in submitting approximately 1,000 false insurance claims for automobile windshield chip repairs.

The organized ring of six suspects allegedly impersonated insurance policyholders and submitted claims for windshield chip repairs to multiple insurance companies between May 23, 2011 and May 24, 2012. The group initially operated a legitimate auto glass repair business, but later began to retain consumers’ policy information and filed additional fraudulent claims on consumers’ policies, without policyholders’ knowledge or permission.

The six defendants involved with the ring face a possible sentencing of 240 days in county jail to three years in state prison. Sentencing is set for 8 a.m. on August 6, 2014.

Source: California Department of Insurance