Mechanic Held on Insurance Fraud Charges

An Anaheim auto mechanic injured on the job more than 30 months ago has been arrested by state Department of Insurance investigators and charged with four felony counts of workers’ compensation insurance fraud.

Leonel Mejia, 41, was booked into Orange County Jail on Tuesday and remained in custody Wednesday in lieu of $15,000 bail. He faces up to five years in state prison and a $50,000 fine if convicted.

The state insurance department alleges that Mejia, who injured his thumb in a work-related accident in December 1995, subsequently claimed that the injury prevented his return to work and made it impossible for him to grasp objects with his left hand.

The department alleges that Mejia, who drew more than $14,000 in insurance and disability benefits in 1996, misrepresented the extent of his injury. In fact, he was able to use his hand and was working for a new employer during the period he said he could not perform his job, according to the department.