From Sandy Louey:
State officials announced Wednesday that dozens of Northern California residents have been arrested for auto insurance fraud.
Since Jan. 28, the California Department of Insurance's Fraud Division and the district attorneys from El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Yolo counties have executed nearly 40 arrest warrants as part of Operation Cover Me, according to a news release.
Alleged auto insurance fraud was investigated during a two-month period, resulting in 28 cases with 38 suspects.
Twenty-eight suspects have been arrested, with another five issued notices to appear and outstanding warrants for the remaining five, the insurance department said.
Twelve of those arrested were from the Sacramento region, while another four from the area were issued notices to appear.
The insurance department began the operation after detecting a rising number of fraudulent cases in which a claimant is uninsured or inadequately insured at the time of the loss.
The person then obtains an insurance policy and allegedly lies about the date, time or circumstances of the loss in order to get benefits they're not legally entitled to, officials said.
In some cases, the suspects allegedly conspired with or solicited friends, family members and other drivers involved in the accident to help with the fraud.
The district attorney offices in the individual counties are prosecuting the cases.
Conviction of insurance fraud, which is felony, carries up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $50,000 on each count.
Here are the 16 people from the Sacramento region who were arrested or issued a notice to appear:
EL DORADO COUNTY CASES
-Shawn Patrick Pollard, 29, El Dorado Hills
-Ryan Mitchel Walters, 24, Sacramento
PLACER COUNTY CASES
-Jessica Ramos, 28, Yuba City - issued notice to appear for arraignment
-Michelle Rene Bill, 40, Auburn - issued notice to appear for arraignment
SACRAMENTO COUNTY CASES
-Manjit Pegany, 27, Sacramento
-Blake Brown, 27, Davis
-Susan Stroup, 37, Sacramento
-Jaime Michelet, 26, Elk Grove
-Gary Detinne, 43, Orangevale
-Kristy Geri Lunardelli, 44, Roseville
YOLO COUNTY CASES
-Jose Angel Dera Sandoval, 47, Woodland
-17-year-old Woodland girl - issued notice to appear for arraignment
-Maria Mersedez Nuno, 51, Woodland
-Vidal Gerald Mercado, 37, Woodland
-Daniel Scott Beal, 21, Woodland - issued notice to appear for arraignment
-Donald Dee Cardoza, 30, Woodland
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