Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty as 42nd Defendant in Staged Automobile Collision Scheme

New Orleans, Louisiana – On November 29, 2022, United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on November 28, Joseph Brewton (“Brewton”), age 56, of Houma, Louisiana, pled guilty to a count one of his indictment, charging him with Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. In exchange for his plea of guilty, the government has agreed to dismiss five counts of Mail Fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341 and 2.

By pleading guilty to Count 1, the offender faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment charge of $100.00.

With this guilty plea, the total number of individuals convicted in Operation Sideswipe now stands at 42.

Brewton was a passenger in a staged car accident in August of 2015, according to court filings. Following that, he recruited family members and friends to take part in staged car accidents involving tractor-trailers on March 27, 2017, and May 11, 2017. Passengers in these crashes filed fake claims claiming that the tractor-trailers were at blame. Brewton caused a loss of roughly $392,742.77 with this plan. The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2023.

The United States Attorney’s Office wishes to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission for their help with this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit Brian M. Klebba, Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Rivera, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Long.