A Polk County grand jury on Oct. 3 indicted nine area residents on insurance fraud charges. The suspects are accused of engaging in an insurance fraud scheme involving staged accidents.
Those indicted include:
• Ashley Leija Hannon, 25, of 406 Spindale St., Spindale, N.C., who is charged with one count of felony conspiracy, four counts of insurance fraud, four counts of obtaining property by false pretense and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense.
• Janice Hannon, 56, of 209 N. Howard Ave., Landrum, who is charged with two counts of insurance fraud and one count each of felony conspiracy, continuing a criminal enterprise, attempting to obtain property by false pretense and obtaining property by false pretense.
• Julius Jamal Hannon, 34, of 586 Markham Road, Tryon, who is charged with one count of felony conspiracy.
• Michael Kareem Hannon, 26, of 740 E. Howard Street, Tryon, who is charged with 17 counts of insurance fraud, nine counts of obtaining property by false pretense, eight counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense and one count each of felony conspiracy and continuing a criminal enterprise.
• Tyreke Hannon, 18, of 209 N. Howard Ave., Landrum, who is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense.
• Randy Bashawn Littlejohn, 36, of 111 Gold Medallion Drive, Bostic, N.C., who is charged with insurance fraud, attempting to obtain property by false pretense and felony conspiracy.
• Domonique Deshae Miller, 19, of 209 N. Howard Ave., Landrum, who is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense.
• Christopher Nesbitt, 23, of 108 W. Tucker St., Landrum, who is charged with one count each of felony conspiracy and continuing a criminal enterprise, four counts of attempting to obtain property by false pretense and two counts of obtaining property by false pretense.
• Khadsha Webster, 17, of 209 N. Howard Ave., Landrum, was charged with one count each of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense.
The suspects were arrested in September by the N.C. Department of Insurance, which said the total estimated losses associated with the claims are in excess of $100,000. The arrests resulted from a two-year investigation, the department of insurance said. Investigators alleged the individuals participated in a staged accident ring in and around Polk County.
Investigators said the suspects are either family members or close acquaintances and are charged with filing false insurance claims. Insurance carriers who allegedly received false claims from the suspects include Progressive, GMAC, Allstate, Safeco, Geico and Liberty Mutual, according to the department of insurance.
The suspects were arrested with the assistance of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Landrum Police Department and Tryon Police Department, according to the department of insurance.
All nine suspects are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 30.