Two former police officers from Prince George's County, Maryland, have admitted to federal charges related to an auto-insurance fraud scheme. Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 36, of Accokeek, and Jaron Earl Taylor, 31, of Ft. Washington, pleaded guilty to falsification of records and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, respectively.
The announcement was made by Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, alongside Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
Court documents reveal that between August 2018 and February 2020, Owen and Taylor collaborated with other officers to engage in mail and wire fraud while serving as officers with PGPD and Anne Arundel County Policy Department. The scheme involved reporting fictitious losses to insurers to secure payouts for unwanted vehicles.
The conspirators exploited their positions as police officers by creating false reports to support each other's claims. These reports were submitted to insurance companies under false pretenses.
One incident in August 2018 involved staging the theft of Taylor’s Chevrolet Tahoe. After filing a fraudulent report, Owen and Taylor disposed of the vehicle in a wooded area near Largo, Maryland. A false claim was then made with USAA resulting in a $38,670 payout.
In January 2020, Owen helped another officer avoid loan payments on a Jaguar XKR through a staged theft scheme at Marlow Heights Shopping Center. This led Liberty Mutual Insurance to pay $17,585 on a false claim.
Additionally, they assisted in disposing of an Infiniti sedan belonging to a co-conspirator on overseas duty by staging its theft for financial gain through fraudulent means.
Owen could face up to 20 years in federal prison while Taylor faces up to three years if their plea deals are accepted. Sentencing is set for September 23 at different times for each defendant.
U.S. Attorney Hayes praised the FBI and PGPD for their investigative efforts and acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and LaShanta Harris for prosecuting the case.
Further details about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found online.
