Local News in Brief : Guilty Plea Entered in Theft From Insurer

One of two men accused of stealing more than $1 million from a Woodland Hills insurance company pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of embezzlement.

Michael Lynn Duncan, 37, of West Hollywood, a former claims supervisor at Allianz Insurance Co., entered the plea before Van Nuys Municipal Court Judge Beauford M. Phelps moments before his preliminary hearing was scheduled to begin.

Duncan faces a maximum of 5 years in prison when he is sentenced Dec. 19 in Van Nuys Superior Court.

A second man accused in the case, Darrell Edward Miller, 27, of Glendale, faces one count of embezzlement. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10 before Phelps.

Prosecutors did not offer Duncan any concessions in exchange for his plea, Deputy Dist. Atty. Stuart Lytton said.

According to Lytton, Duncan set up phony insurance claims under the names of numerous real and fictitious people. He then cashed the checks himself, Lytton said.

Duncan issued and cashed more than 200 checks, ranging in amount from less than $1,000 to about $10,000 between December, 1984, and November, 1987, Lytton said.

The scheme was discovered during a February, 1988, company audit. Miller, whose role in the case was not disclosed, was arrested by Los Angeles police May 13, and Duncan was arrested June 6, Lytton said.