Defendants allegedly conspired to set blaze to Logan office building; collected more than $1 million in insurance proceeds
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - United States Attorney Booth Goodwin announced today that an indictment was unsealed today charging four people in connection with a Logan County arson investigation. A 36-count indictment was unsealed today, charging James Gregory Glick, Guy R. Miller, Shawn C. Simon and William Jamey Thompson with conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Glick, 44, of Logan, was also charged with obstruction of justice, unlawful monetary transactions, and structuring in connection with the alleged scheme.
The indictment was unsealed today following the arrest of Mr. Glick. According to the indictment, in November 2011, Glick allegedly arranged to have an office building located at 111 Stratton Street in Logan burned to collect more than $1 million in insurance proceeds. In late December 2011, the building was purchased by a known person for $45,000 prior to the alleged scheme. That person, in turn, immediately sold the property to Glick in early January 2012 purportedly for $50,000.
During the alleged scheme, Mr. Glick then paid co-defendant William Jamey Thompson, 44, an independent insurance agent from Chapmanville, approximately $75,000 to obtain a fraudulently-inflated $1 million insurance policy from General Star Indemnity Company (“General Star") in connection with the scheme. On the night of Feb. 1, 2012, the indictment alleges that Guy R. Miller, 39, of Logan, co-defendant Shawn C. Simon, 41, of Charleston, and another person worked together to set the fire. Miller, Simon, and another person set the fire by allegedly spreading gasoline throughout the main floor.
In addition, Thompson was charged with submitting a false and fraudulent property loss insurance claim on behalf of Mr. Glick to General Star, allowing Glick to collect more than $1 million in insurance proceeds, the indictment alleges.
Also during the alleged scheme, Mr. Glick made illegal transactions of more than $10,000 from the Logan Bank & Trust (“LB&T") on more than nine occasions. It is also alleged that Mr. Glick structured more than $170,000 in monies from accounts at LB&T during the conspiracy. “Structuring" involves the breaking down of cash transactions in amounts of $10,000 or less for the purpose of avoiding a financial institution’s reporting requirements to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The West Virginia State Police and the IRS are conducting the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Ryan is in charge of the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
to view a copy of the indictment
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
