The former mayor of Roselle was sentenced to 90 days in jail on April 10 after making false insurance claims after a hit-and-run accident. The accident had taken place in December 2010 after he crashed his mother's Lincoln Town Car into a parked vehicle after leaving a bar. He then left the scene of the accident before calling police to tell them that his car had been hit.
His sentence was the result of a guilty plea to a second-degree offense after making a false claim to an insurance company and to borough police. An attorney for the man had hoped that he would be given probation instead of jail time. The attorney cited previous work that his client had done for seniors and children in the community.
Those who are charged with insurance fraud or other types of white collar crime could face serious penalties if convicted. The defendant could be incarcerated, sentenced to probation or be required to pay a fine and/or restitution. In addition, a conviction on such on offense could damage an individual's personal and professional reputation in the future. This is why anyone facing criminal charges should talk to a criminal defense lawyer.
A lawyer may be able to create a defense strategy that may cast doubt upon the charge levied against a client. This may be done by disputing physical evidence, documents used as evidence in a case or witness testimony. If successful, it may be possible to have a case thrown out before it even gets to trial. In other situations, a criminal defense attorney may seek to negotiate an arrangement with the prosecutor pursuant to which the client agrees to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser offense in exchange for the more serious charge being withdrawn.