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| | Michael Charles Young, King Pin of Sacramento Auto Insurance Fraud Ring, Sentenced To Ten Plus Years In State Prison. DOI Investigators Reach Out To Locate Three At Large Suspects By Lonce LaMon with the California Department of Insurance - August 15, 2017
Michael Charles Young, age 30, who pled guilty in April of 2017 to three counts of insurance fraud Section 550 a(4), plus possession of firearms for a prior convicted felon, possession of stolen vehicles, identity theft, and conspiracy, was just sentenced to 10 plus years in California State Prison for defrauding insurance companies out of an estimated half a million dollars.
Young was the king pin of an auto insurance fraud ring in the Sacramento, California area that involved 17 other individuals between 2014 and early 2016. He filed dozens of claims ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 with numerous insurance companies. Presently, three suspects are at large with outstanding warrants. Detectives are asking for the public’s help in finding the persons immediately below:
Jazlyn Ladana Burrell, age 20, Vallejo
Lavina Louise Nunally, age 26, Sacramento
Desiree Patricia Vasquez, age 22, Sacramento
Michael Young was arrested in April of 2016, and made a plea deal with the Sacramento District Attorney’s office a year later. “So much evidence was compiled,” said Sargeant-Investigator Clint Herndon of the California Department of Insurance today.
Sargeant Herndon described Michael Charles Young as having a “prior prison term” and a “10 page rap sheet”. He stated in conclusion, “He’s a career criminal”.
“This is a trend shift in insurance fraud. Career criminals are turning to white collar crime,” said Nancy Kincaid, spokesperson for the California Department of Insurance.
“California is ground zero for auto insurance fraud and every policyholder pays for these crimes through higher auto insurance rates,” California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones expressed. “This organized crime ring was brought down by the hard work of our detectives and the California Highway Patrol. Our investigative partnerships with law enforcement and district attorneys are critical to eradicating insurance fraud.”
Firearms confiscated from Michael Young, photo courtesy California Department of Insurance
An investigation by California Department of Insurance detectives and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) uncovered evidence that Michael Young and several co-conspirators filed multiple insurance claims totaling about a half a million dollars after crashing cars into each other or filing claims on vehicles with existing damages, known as paper collisions.
In most cases, false identities were used to register and insure the vehicles used to file claims and accomplices were provided scripts to use when communicating with insurers. Some defendants allowed their identities to be used for compensation and then cashed checks issued in their names. The ring grew as friends and family members were recruited.
Others arrested and sentenced as part of this case are:
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Paris Lache Elliott, age 27, of Sacramento: Sentenced to 210 days in county jail with five years of probation.
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Lonnie Gene Thompson, 27, of Sacramento: Sentenced to 100 days in county jail with three years of probation.
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Ladasheza Dorrough (Jackson), 21, of Sacramento: Sentenced to 90 days in county jail and three years of probation.
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Ariel Chanel Graham, 27, of Woodland: Sentenced to 60 days in county jail with three years of probation.
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Ebony Rashone Kirk, age 37, of Sacramento: Sentenced to 90 days in county jail and three years of probation.
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Melvia Ann Castro, 29, of Sacramento: Sentenced to 90 days in county jail and three years of probation.
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Alyce Marie Peterson, 55, of Woodland: Sentenced to 30 days in county jail and three years of probabion.
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Cameron Nunally, 25, of Sacramento: Sentenced to 120 days in county jail and five years of probation.
The cases against these co-defendants are still pending:
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Dwon Maurice Ross, age 27, of Sacramento
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Marcellus Belvin Lang, age 29, of Sacramento
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Rochelle Edith Virginia Goodwin, age 27, of Sacramento
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Erin Kim Elliott, age 20, of Elk Grove
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Tiara Kim Elliott, age 19, of Sacramento
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Tanisha Jayanna Earnest, age 24 of Citrus Heights.
“I am proud of the hard work by our investigators to help bring these criminals to justice,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “However, with some suspects still at large, we ask the public’s help to find and arrest them and conclude the case.”
If anyone has any information about the three at-large suspects or any information about this case, please contact the California Department of Insurance at 916 854-5700.
By journalist Lonce LaMon, lonce@adjustercom.com; in cooperation with the California Department of Insurance. www.insurance.ca.gov
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