“Operation Brakes on Fakes” Stops 19

Automobile insurance fraud has become a huge, and growing, problem in Florida and across the nation; but nineteen people who police say were involved in the crime are off of Florida’s streets for now as Florida law enforcement keeps up the pressure on insurance scams.

According to the Sun Sentinel, authorities arrested 19 people, including one juvenile, on October 19^th as part of their six-month long investigation that was focused on combating automobile insurance fraud. Karen Clarke, of the Palm Beach County Tax Collector’s office, stated that 15 others are still at large,

The multi-agency investigation, which was code-named Operation Brakes on Fakes, was mainly focused on fake motor vehicle insurance cards.

“This alleged scam was perpetrated by those who cut corners while putting others at risk,” Palm Beach County State Attorney Michael McAuliffe said in a statement Wednesday. “Using fake insurance cards to register a vehicle or presenting fake information to officers when stopped undercuts the process we depend on to know who should be driving and who should not be on the road.”

The arrested and still sought after suspects could face charges that include false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card, sale of motor vehicle with altered odometer, petit theft, and other charges.

A false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card charge carries a maximum allowable sentence of 5 years in prison, as does a sale of motor vehicle with altered odometer and a title fraud charge. Petit theft has a maximum sentence of 1 year jail.

The suspects and their charges in the case are as follows:

• Deon Brandon Carswell: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Joshua Robert Darcy: 1 count of sale of motor vehicle with altered odometer.
• Matthew John Darcy: 1 count of sale of motor vehicle with altered odometer and 1 count of title fraud and 1 count of petit theft.
• Winfred Darville: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Michael Stephens Davis, Jr.: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Christian Lanat Franklin: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Quanteria Sequesha Harris: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Lavert Herrington: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Kashay Jackson: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Ariane Lockett: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Madonna Odessa March: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Juan Pablo Martinez: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Kenneith Mary Noel: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Raymond Rende: 1 count of fraudulent use of personal identification information ($5,000.00 or more) –maximum sentence of15 years, 1 count of title fraud and 1 count of sale of motor vehicle with altered odometer.
• Dishawn Hakim Reynolds-El: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Larrisa West Shoecraft: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• John Dennis Sullivan: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.
• Latoya Nicole Tripp: 1 count of false or fraudulent motor vehicle insurance card.