2 From Louisiana, 1 From Arkansas Sentenced in Staged Tractor-Trailer Crashes to Fraudulently Obtain Insurance Payouts

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Published March 06, 2023

2 From Louisiana, 1 From Arkansas Sentenced in Staged Tractor-Trailer Crashes to Fraudulently Obtain Insurance Payouts

New Orleans, Louisiana – Two from Louisiana and one from Arkansas have been sentenced in staged tractor-trailer crashes to fraudulently obtain insurance payouts.

United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that Bernell Gale (“Gale”), age 46 of Raceland, Louisiana, Tanya Givens (“Givens”), age 45, of Gibson, Louisiana; and Dakota Diggs (“D. Diggs”), age 27, of Ft. Smith, Arkansas, were each sentenced on March 1, 2023, in United States District Court. Each defendant had previously pled to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans.

According to court documents, Givens conspired with passengers Lois Russell (“Russell”), John Diggs (“J. Diggs”), and James “Curtis” Williams (“Williams”) on March 27, 2017, to manufacture a collision with a tractor-trailer near the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road. This collision also involved Damien Labeaud (“Labeaud”) and Roderick Hickman (“Hickman”). Hickman purposefully struck the 18-wheeler while driving Russell’s automobile and then fled the scene in a getaway vehicle driven by Labeaud. Russell informed NOPD that she was the driver, and she, along with Givens and J. Diggs, filed personal injury claims. The victim trucking businesses and insurance companies paid out around $272,500.00 in total for these bogus claims.

According to court papers, D. Diggs, Henry Randle (“H. Randle”), and Ryan Wheaten (“Wheaten”) were passengers in a vehicle collision staged by Labeaud along US Highway 90 East and Calliope Street in New Orleans on May 17, 2017. Labeaud took off in a getaway car driven by Mario Solomon. H. Randle falsely reported to the NOPD that he was driving and that the tractor-trailer had collided with his automobile. Soon after, Labeaud and Solomon staged a second accident on Louisa Street and Chickasaw Street in New Orleans, involving Gale, Troy Smith (“Smith”), Marvel Francois (“Francois”), and another passenger. Following these crashes, D. Diggs, H. Randle, Wheaten, Gale, Smith, and Francois filed false personal injury claims. For these bogus claims, the victim trucking and insurance companies paid out around $10,000.00.

Diggs was sentenced to 60 months of probation, $11,000 in restitution, and a $100 mandatory special assessment charge by U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk. Givens was sentenced to 60 months of probation, $363,970.63 in restitution, and a $100 obligatory special assessment charge. Gale received a 36-month probation term and a $100 required special assessment cost. Gale’s reparation hearing has been scheduled for May 31, 2023, at 2 p.m.

The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission for their help in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni, both of the Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, are prosecuting this case.