A former police officer from Anne Arundel County has been sentenced for his involvement in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud against insurance companies. Jaron Earl Taylor, 32, pleaded guilty to the charges and was ordered by a federal judge to pay restitution of $38,670 to USAA.
As part of his sentence, Taylor will serve three years of probation, with the first five months under home detention. His sentencing follows the guilty plea of another officer, Michael Anthony Owen Jr., 38, who admitted to falsifying records related to the fraud scheme.
According to court documents, the conspiracy took place between August 2018 and February 2020, during which Taylor and other officers reported fictitious losses to insurers. This was done to collect money and evade payments on vehicles that had significantly depreciated in value.
The group collaborated to create false police reports to support their claims and obstruct investigations. Taylor staged a theft of his Chevrolet Tahoe in collaboration with Owen, after stripping the vehicle and abandoning it in a wooded area. He then filed a false insurance claim with USAA.
Additionally, Taylor assisted another conspirator in disposing of an Infiniti sedan to help that individual avoid car payments while stationed overseas. For this, he received $1,000 via Cash App to stage the theft, which Owen then falsely reported to the Prince George’s County Police.
The Infiniti was moved to a parking garage where its license plates were swapped before the owner filed a claim with Geico, which was later denied due to fraud.
Owen is scheduled for sentencing on August 18 at 2:30 p.m.
Reported by HarborBeat based on The Baltimore Banner (source).
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