Joshua G. DeSoto, 25, of Magnolia, was sentenced yesterday (April 19) to 180 days in county jail as a condition of three years of probation by Superior Court Judge M. Christine Allen-Jackson. DeSoto was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. DeSoto’s sentence was based on his Feb. 21 guilty plea to third-degree insurance fraud. The charge was contained in a Gloucester County grand jury indictment returned on Aug. 3, 2011.

In pleading guilty, DeSoto admitted that June 2 and June 18, 2007, he committed insurance fraud by falsely reporting to the Woodbury Police Department that his mother’s 2003 Honda had been stolen. DeSoto submitted a fraudulent auto theft claim with the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and attempted to obtain approximately $13,500 for the purported theft, even though he knew that the car had not been stolen.

Deputy Attorney General Dianne C. DiGiamber Deal represented the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the plea and sentencing. Deputy Attorneys General Joan M. Burke, Detective Terrence Buie and Civil Investigator Frank Crosson were assigned to the investigation into this case. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi thanked Liberty Mutual Insurance Company for referring the matter to the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. He also thanked Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, the Philadelphia Police Department and the Woodbury, New Jersey Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Chillemi noted that some important cases have started with anonymous tips. People who are concerned about insurance cheating and have information about a fraud can report it anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the Web site at www.NJInsurancefraud.org. State regulations permit a reward to be paid to an eligible person who provides information that leads to an arrest, prosecution and conviction for insurance fraud.