Lapsed coverage leads to court convictions for two Ohio employers

A southern Ohio body shop owner must pay the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) nearly $6,000 for not carrying workers’ compensation coverage while running his business.

Ironton resident Roland Samons, owner of the Shafer Brothers Body Shop, pleaded guilty Jan. 18 to one count of attempted workers’ compensation fraud, a first-degree misdemeanor. A Lawrence County judge sentenced Samons to six months in jail before suspending the sentence and placing Samons on three years probation. Probation will terminate sooner once Samons pays BWC $5,686 in restitution.

BWC’s Special Investigations Department (SID) determined Samons failed to carry proper coverage from January 2010 through December 2014.

In another recent court case, the owner of a cleaning service company in northeast Ohio must pay BWC nearly $4,000 to bring her BWC policy into compliance after pleading guilty Jan. 12 to a second-degree misdemeanor count of failure to comply.

A Warren Municipal Court judge also sentenced Andrea Menendez, who with her husband owns Spring Clean Maids, to three years probation. At sentencing, Menendez provided documentation showing she had already paid $1,000 toward her BWC debt of $3,884.

To report suspected workers’ compensation fraud, call 1-800-644-6292 or visit bwc.ohio.gov.