New Orleans, LA – In a stunning revelation of organized crime’s reach into the streets of New Orleans, four individuals were handed down stiff sentences for their roles in a scheme to stage car accidents involving tractor-trailers. David Brown (51), Gilda Henderson (70), Latrell Johnson (30), and Stacie Wheaten (51) faced justice for their involvement in a fraudulent scheme that defrauded insurance companies out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to court documents, Wheaten introduced ‘slammer’ Damian Labeaud to attorney Patrick Keating in 2017. The trio then set up collisions with tractor-trailers, recruiting unsuspecting passengers to file fraudulent lawsuits against the trucking companies. On May 11, 2017, Brown, Henderson, and Johnson intentionally collided with a tractor-trailer on Chef Menteur Highway, fabricating a police report and lying in depositions to claim fault.
Wheaten was sentenced to 18 months in prison, two years of supervised release, $54,000 restitution, and a $100 special assessment fee. Brown, Henderson, and Johnson each received three years of probation, ordered to pay $200,963.59 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. District Court Judge Jane Triche Milazzo oversaw the sentencing, demonstrating the severity with which such fraudulent acts are viewed by the legal system. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Carboni, Brian M. Klebba, Edward J. Rivera, and Brandon S. Long, with significant assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Crime Commission.
This sentence serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some will go to exploit the system for financial gain. The public is encouraged to remain vigilant against such criminal activities.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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