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Press Release

Youngstown Woman Indicted For Insurance-Fraud Arson

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio

A three-count indictment was filed charging a Youngstown woman with setting fire to a rental property in order to collect insurance money, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Latasha Curtis, 33, of Youngstown, Ohio, faces with one count of conspiracy, one count of use of fire during the commission of a felony, and one count of maliciously damaging and destroying, and attempting to damage and destroy, by means of fire, real property used in interstate commerce and in activity affecting interstate commerce

The indictment charges that Curtis, along with others made known to the Grand Jury but not indicted, conspired to commit arson of a rental property located at 75 Hilton Avenue in Youngstown, and to commit wire fraud in submitting false claims against State Farm Insurance Corporation for the proceeds of an insurance policy on the property. 

The property was burned in a fire occurring on October 19, 2013, which was intentionally set by Curtis and others, according to the indictment.

State Farm paid $67,916.10 after the insurance claim on the property was submitted, according to the indictment.            

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of the federal sentencing guidelines and factors unique to each case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations.

This case was investigated by the Youngstown Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James V. Moroney.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Updated March 12, 2015