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TRENTON - Attorney General
Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director
Gregory A. Paw announced that a Union City
man has been indicted for falsely reporting
his automobile stolen and filing a fraudulent
insurance claim.
According to Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Jose L. Rosario,
33, of Union City, was charged with second-degree
insurance fraud, third-degree attempted
theft by deception, and fourth-degree falsifying
records.
The Hudson County grand
jury indictment alleges that on May 28,
2007, Rosario falsely reported to the Union
City Police Department that his 2005 Mitsubishi
Lancer Evolution, valued at approximately
$27,000, had been stolen. Rosario allegedly
submitted a false insurance claim to First
Trenton Indemnity Company. It is charged
that, in support of that claim, Rosario
made several false statements to both the
Union City Police Department and to First
Trenton Indemnity Company. The automobile
was recovered by the Jersey City Police
Department the same day that Rosario filed
his report. The car had been stripped and
had front end damage.
Detective Hector Montano,
Civil Investigator Wilbert Sowney and Deputy
Attorney General Ronald A. Epstein were
assigned to the investigation. Epstein presented
the case to the Hudson County grand jury.
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown thanked
First Indemnity for its assistance.
The
indictment, which was handed up on June
10, is merely an accusation and the defendant
is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Second-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment
of 10 years in state prison and a criminal
fine of $150,000, while third-degree crimes
carry a maximum punishment of five years
in state prison and a criminal fine of $15,000.
Fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment
of 18 months in state prison and a criminal
fine of $10,000. Rosario may also face civil
insurance fraud fines.
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