DIMANCHE

Jim Letten

The two former cops and man who tried to scam their insurance company were sentenced yesterday to prison terms that topped out at 11 months. Kevin J. Guillot, 43, Daniel Spears, 40, and Anthony Venezia, 34, got caught trying to scam Progressive Insurance Company after Guillot, a former NOPD sergeant, began experiencing truck troubles, according to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office.

Guillot, a 20-year-veteran of the force, resigned from the NOPD this spring, in or around April. Spears was an officer with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office from 2001-2011, and he resigned in February 2012. Venezia is Guillot’s nephew. 

When Guillot’s truck began malfunctioning in June, he decided to circumvent repair payments. Along with Spears and Venezia, he devised a plan to defraud Progressive Insurance Company. Guillot called 911 and reported his truck stolen on June 28, 2011, claiming he was in Jefferson Parish that day on a boat with Venezia. Spears was the JPSO officer on duty, and doctored a police report to vouch for the claims.

Guillot called Progressive Insurance Company to pass the fraudulent information on to them, with his truck sitting in his driveway the entire time. In July of 2011, Venezia made false statements to the insurance company.

The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as the NOPD’s Public Integrity Bureau. Guillot was sentenced to 11 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release, along with a fine of $1754 in restitution. Spears was sentenced to six months imprisonment followed by one year supervised release, and Venezia was sentenced to one year of probation along with 50 hours of community service.

 U.S. District Attorney Judge Sarah S. Vance presided over the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Chester.