VALDOSTA, GA – John Dewey Morris, 70 , of Coolidge , Georgia, was sentenced Monday, October 28, 2013, for wire fraud in Valdosta, Georgia, by U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson. Morris was sentenced to five years probation and has been ordered to pay $131,443.00 to Progressive Insurance and Auto Owners Insurance. Morris entered a plea of guilty on July 24, 2013, to one count of wire fraud, and in his plea, Morris admitted he caused false and fraudulent insurance claims to be filed on a truck and wood chipper owned by his companies. He admitted the equipment was not stolen, but, at his request, had been stripped down and sold for parts and scrap metal.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and  the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. McCullers. Inquiries regarding the case should be directed to Sue McKinney at (478) 621-2602.

Source: WCTV