Man Gets Jail, Fine for False Fire Claim
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A 40-year-old unemployed tow-truck driver was sentenced Tuesday to a year in jail for allegedly defrauding the Red Cross and two families of $2,875 by falsely claiming that his trailer was destroyed by the wildfires that swept the county in October.
Manuel James Chavez was ordered by Superior Court Judge Frank Brown to repay $2,380 to the Red Cross and $495 to two families who offered help after he claimed his Valley Center trailer was destroyed.
The trailer belonged to a niece who filed a claim, which led to the fraud being discovered, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Madruga.
Chavez came up with the plan after being evicted from his apartment in Escondido, Madruga said.
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