TRENTON - Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a Passaic County general contractor has pleaded guilty to attempted theft and was ordered to pay $15,000 civil insurance fraud fine for submitting phony receipts to an insurance company in an attempt to steal $27,000 in insurance claims money.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown, Dean Marletta, 37, West Buena Vista Way, Bloomingdale, Passaic County, pleaded guilty before Passaic County Superior Court Judge Marilyn C. Clark to a criminal Accusation filed by the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, which charged attempted theft by deception (3rd degree). Marletta was ordered to pay $15,000 and was admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention program.

At the guilty plea hearing, Marletta, a self-employed general contractor who traded as Master Craftsmen, admitted that between June 8, 2001 and Dec. 19, 2002, he submitted a fraudulent property loss claim to Harleysville Insurance Company for loss of property consisting of approximately $24,000 to $27,000 worth of tools and equipment that Marletta used in his business. An investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor determined that, in support of his claim, Marletta also submitted numerous fraudulent receipts reflecting the purchase of various tools and other equipment, for which he sought reimbursement from Harleysville as the result of an alleged theft. Harleysville Insurance Company denied the claim and referred the matter to the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

State Investigator Scott Caponi, Civil Investigator Margo Finnikin, and Deputy Attorney General Nicole D. Rizzolo were assigned to the investigation. DAG Rizzolo represented the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the sentencing.

“The Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor is committed to protecting New Jersey’s citizens from unscrupulous acts by combating insurance fraud in whatever form it takes,” said Fraud Prosecutor Gooden-Brown. “Individuals who submit false claims violate the laws of the State and the trust of the public, and they do so at a significant expense to those who play by the rules.”

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