MTA officer pleads guilty to insurance fraud
A police officer for the Maryland Transit Administration pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to mail fraud in a scheme to burn three vehicles owned by transit employees for the insurance money, the U.S. attorney's office for Maryland said.
According to his plea agreement, James Walthall, 41, of Randallstown falsely reported in February 2003 that his 1997 Ford Expedition had been stolen and filed a fraudulent insurance claim. In April 2003, Walthall burned or had someone else burn the vehicle in an attempt to conceal his insurance fraud, prosecutors wrote in court documents.
In December 2003, Walthall helped an MTA bus driver destroy her 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe for a few hundred dollars because she couldn't make the monthly payments, according to court documents. On Jan. 1, 2004, Walthall helped another MTA police officer get rid of his Audi Quattro TT in return for money, the documents say.
Walthall faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Sentencing has been set for April 28. Walthall has agreed to a mandatory five years in prison as a result of his plea. The 18-year veteran resigned yesterday, a spokeswoman said.
The other MTA employees involved in the scheme pleaded guilty to related crimes but have not been sentenced, prosecutors said. MTA officials said the bus driver continues to work for the MTA but that the other police officer resigned.
By Matthew Dolan
http://www.baltimoresun.com/
