Man gets prison, will have to pay $55K for auto fraud cases
LAWRENCE — A man police said figured prominently in auto insurance fraud cases will spend nine months in prison and pay $55,899 in restitution.
Leo Lopez, 28, formerly of Haverhill, pleaded guilty to 36 charges stemming from six accidents. He was sentenced to nine months in prison on each of the 36 charges, the sentences to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay $55,899.02 in restitution.
"I'm glad to see jail time for this individual," said Lawrence police Chief John Romero. "Clearly, jail time was appropriate as well as the restitution."
Romero said the success the city has had in investigating and prosecuting auto insurance fraud cases since 2003 has resulted in a decrease of $600 per car in insurance premiums in the city.
"Individuals like Leo Lopez have contributed to the inflated insurance premiums city car owners have had to pay," Romero said.
Lopez pleaded guilty to 12 counts of motor vehicle insurance fraud, four counts of larceny over $250, eight counts of attempted larceny over $250, and 12 counts of conspiracy.
The charges stemmed from staged accidents in January 2002, November 2002, three staged accidents between October 2002 and February 2003, and a March 2003 staged accident.
Indicted with Lopez in the three staged accidents between October 2002 and February 2003 were James Hyde, 56, of Boxford, Michael Kaplan, 46, of Hampstead, N.H., Omar Castillo, 35, of Methuen and Josue Jerez, 28, of Lawrence.
Castillo and Jerez are believed to have been runners that steered clients to Hyde, a lawyer, and Kaplan, a chiropractor.
All four are charged with motor vehicle insurance fraud, larceny over $250, attempted larceny over $250, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit larceny.
They are all due back in court on Feb. 13 for a pretrial conference.
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