Louisiana State Police Arrest 8 for Insurance Fraud, Staged Accidents

Louisiana State Police say eight people have been arrested in connection with an alleged insurance fraud scheme involving staged traffic crashes in Jefferson Davis Parish.

A state police news release says the investigation began earlier this year. It found that a group of family and friends staged three crashes over five months. The scheme also involved a so-called “jump-in” crash, in which someone falsely claimed to have been in a vehicle at the time of a crash.

All face insurance fraud charges. Some face theft charges. Three face child desertion charges because children were involved in the staged crashes.

According to the LSP, those arrested and booked into Jefferson Davis Parish Jail are:

• Devondrick Sams, age 28 of Jennings: Automobile insurance fraud (2 counts), felony theft (2 counts), filing or maintaining false public records, child desertion (2 counts)
• Tamale Sonnier, age 27 of Jennings: Automobile insurance fraud (3 counts), felony theft (3 counts), child desertion (2 counts)
• Saundra Pete, age 61 of Jennings: Automobile insurance fraud
• Jaylin Sams, age 26 of Jennings, Automobile insurance fraud, felony theft, filing or maintaining false public records
• Dawn Sonnier, age 26 of Jennings: Automobile insurance fraud (3 counts), felony theft, filing or maintaining false public records (2 counts), child desertion (3 counts)
• Rhinehart Thibodeaux, age 47 of Jennings: Automobile insurance fraud, felony theft, filing or maintaining false public records
• Victoria Shaw, age 39 of Mamou: Automobile insurance fraud, filing or maintaining false public records
• Marlo Latasha Diggs, age 28 of Abbeville: Automobile insurance fraud and felony theft

Automobile insurance fraud is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine plus restitution, according to the LSP.

Topics Fraud Louisiana Law Enforcement