Feb. 03--MOULTRIE -- Six Colquitt County residents and a Clayton County woman have been arrested and accused of staging fires, burglaries and vehicle vandalism with the intent to comment insurance fraud.
According to a media release by the Georgia Insurance & Safety Fire Commissioner's office in Atlanta, Colquitt County residents Ricky Lewis Forrest, 26; KaNaya McGee, 35; Diana McGee, 55; Cachea Jones, 25; Shakia Latimore, 21, and Lavarious King, 24, were arrested Wednesday morning and booked into the Colquitt County Jail. Doris Ann Buie, 49, of College Park was arrested Wednesday and transported to Clayton County jail, the release states.
Agency officials say each faces numerous charges including first-degree arson, insurance fraud, theft by deception, identity fraud, forgery and making false statements.
Glenn Allen, spokesman for the state agency, said that from January 2013 through December 2015 the group staged more than 24 incidents and received claim settlements totaling $392,000 from insurance companies including Allstate, Assurant, GEICO and Georgia Farm Bureau.
"Not only did these individuals endanger the lives of others by setting fires, they also committed insurance fraud, a crime that costs Georgians thousands of dollars each year," state Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said in a statement. "I'm proud of the work done by my office, the Moultrie Fire Department and by Colquitt County's fire and law enforcement professionals to bring these individuals to justice."
According to the agency release, the insurance fraud investigation was conducted jointly by Hudgens' Insurance Fraud Division and Fire Investigation Unit. Insurance fraud is a felony with a penalty of 2-10 years in prison or a fine of up to $10,0000. First-degree arson is a felony and carries a penalty of 5-20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $50,000, the release states.
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