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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Acting
Criminal Justice Director Deborah Gramiccioni
announced that an Ocean County woman was
indicted today on charges that she falsely
registered 32 vehicles with the Motor Vehicle
Commission.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Ivette M. Encarnacion, 53, of Lakewood,
was charged with conspiracy and 29 counts
of tampering with public records or information,
all in the third degree.
The
Monmouth County grand jury indictment alleges
that between June 13, 2006 and April 30,
2007, Encarnacion conspired to falsely register
automobiles with the New Jersey Motor Vehicle
Commission. According to the indictment,
Encarnacion registered 32 automobiles, falsely
claiming that the automobiles were insured
by the Allstate Insurance Company. Encarnacion
allegedly was registering the cars for undocumented
immigrants. The indictment alleges that
none of the automobiles were insured by
Allstate or any other insurer as required
by law. New Jersey law requires that motor
vehicles have appropriate insurance, and
the registration form used by the Motor
Vehicle Commission requires persons to identify
the insurance company which insures the
vehicle when the vehicle registration is
first obtained or renewed.
On
April 30, 2007, the Lakewood Police Department,
assisted by the Motor Vehicle Commission,
arrested Encarnacion. The Motor Vehicle
Commission then referred the case to the
Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor for
follow-up investigation and prosecution.
Detective Darrell Washington, and Deputy
Attorney General John J. Higgins were assigned
to the investigation. Higgins presented
the case to the Monmouth County grand jury.
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown also thanked
the Allstate Insurance Company, the New
Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, and the
Lakewood Police Department for their assistance
in this investigation.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Third-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of five years in state prison and
a criminal fine of $15,000.
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