Both pled guilty to all counts
Judge Mark E. Powell handed down sentences during a Polk County Superior Court Administrative session held Wednesday, Nov. 30 for two suspects arrested for insurance fraud by the N.C. Department of Insurance earlier this year.
Michael Kareem Hannon, 26, of 740 E. Howard St., Tryon, pled guilty to 17 counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of attempting to obtain property under false pretenses, nine counts of obtaining property under false pretenses, one count of continuing criminal enterprise and one count of felony conspiracy, according to court records. Hannon’s charges were consolidated into the first 10 counts of insurance fraud.
Hannon was sentenced to 6-8 months at the N.C. Department of Corrections for each of the 10 counts, which was suspended on the condition Hannon serve three years of supervised probation. Hannon was to serve an additional 60 days in jail and to pay court costs.
Ashley Lynne Leija, 25, of 406 Spindale St., Spindale pled guilty to five counts of insurance fraud, one count of felony conspiracy, four counts of obtaining property under false pretenses and one count of attempting to obtain property under false pretenses. Leija’s charges were consolidated into the first three insurance fraud charges.
Leija was sentenced to 8-10 months at the N.C. Department of Corrections for each count, which was suspended on the condition Leija serve three years of supervised probation and pay court costs.
The insurance fraud ring involved the arrests of nine suspects in the area in September after the N.C. Department of Insurance had been investigating the insurance scheme for approximately two years. Insurance investigators said the suspects engaged in a scheme that involved staged accidents and estimated the claims were in excess of $100,000.
Others who were arrested include Janice Hannon, Julius Jamal Hannon, Tyreke Hannon, Domonique Deshae Miller, Christopher Nesbitt, Khadsha Webster and Randy Bashawn Littlejohn.
Investigators said the suspects are either family members or close acquaintances and were charged with filing false insurance claims. Insurance carriers that allegedly received false claims from the suspects include Progressive, GMAC, Allstate, Safeco, Geico and Liberty Mutual, according to the department of insurance.