PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH INSURANCE FRAUD

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr., announced today the filing of criminal insurance fraud charges against Jermaine Ayala, a police officer employed by the Prince Georges County Police Department. The indictment follows a joint investigation conducted by the Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Office of the Attorney General. In a seven (7) count criminal indictment filed in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County, Officer Ayala was charged with making false and misleading statements and providing false documents in support of an insurance claim that he had filed with State Farm Insurance Companies, and attempted felony theft.

The charges allege that between November 1 and November 23, 2004 Officer Ayala made oral representations and presented documents that he knew to be false and misleading in support of an insurance claim for lost wages due to injuries he claims to have suffered as a result of an automobile accident.

If convicted of felony insurance fraud, Officer Ayala could be sentenced to serve 15 years in prison and fined $10,000. If convicted of attempted felony theft Officer Ayala could be sentenced to serve 15 years in prison and fined $1,000.

A criminal indictment or criminal information is merely an accusation of wrongdoing, and every individual is presumed innocent until the charges are proven by the State. No trial date has been set.  

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