Former Illinois Police Officer Indicted on Workers Comp Fraud Charges

 

A Madison County, Illinois grand jury has indicted a former Maryville police officer on charges relating to a fraudulent workers compensation claim.

 

According to information through the State's Attorney's General office, Richard A. Turner, 43, is facing a number of charges involving a claim he made while working for the Maryville Police Department in 2009.

 

Turner is reported to have claimed in February 2009 that he suffered a back injury while at work. As a result, Turner received employment compensation from the village of Maryville. Also, the insurance provider for the village also paid for all medical expenses tied to the treatment of his injury as well as employment compensation while Turner was off work for his disability.

 

 

 

Investigators within the Maryville Police Department conducted an investigation once they came across questionable circumstances. It was determined that while Turner had indeed suffered an injury, it did not occur during his capacity as a police officer.

 

In cooperation with the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office, the results of the investigation were presented recently to a grand jury. Turner was charged with two counts of theft (Class 1 and 2 felony). The Class 2 theft charge accuses Turner of defrauding the village of more than $38,000 while the Class 1 theft charge accuses him of defrauding their carrier, the Illinois Municipal League Risk Management Association, of more than $150,000.

 

Turner, who has since resigned from the force, is also looking at a pair of counts of unlawful violation of workers comp act (Class 4 Felony) for both filing a fraudulent workers comp claim and then lying to his physician about the nature of his injuries.

 

 

 

Bond was set at $10,000 for Turner by Circuit Judge Rich Tognarelli. Maximum penalty for a Class 1 Felony is four to 15 years in prison; three to seven years in prison for a Class 2 and one to three years in prison for a Class 4 felony.