Man gets probation for insurance fraud involving purple UTV

Sponsor

A Little Rock man was sentenced to five years probation Monday in Bowie County, Texas, for insurance fraud involving a Utility Terrain Vehicle which had been painted purple by the time it was recovered by law enforcement.

Roderick Jenkins, 39, was sentenced to five years probation by 202nd District Judge John Tidwell following a guilty plea.

On June 16, Jenkins reported his 2018 Polaris UTV had been stolen from a friend’s residence in Texarkana, Texas. Immediately upon filing the vehicle theft report, Jenkins contacted his insurance company and filed a $67,000 loss claim as a result of the theft.

During the course of the investigation, Detective Cory Motley learned that Jenkins had stopped making payments on the UTV and it was about to be repossessed just before being reported stolen. He also developed information that Jenkins may have lied about the theft, repainted the UTV purple to change its appearance, and still had it in his possession in the Little Rock area.

Detective Motley continued to pursue the investigation over the next three months before eventually learning that Jenkins was expected to attend a recreational ride at the Muddy Bottoms ATV Park in Serepta, Louisiana on September 3. He suspected that Jenkins might take the stolen UTV with him to the event and contacted the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office to ask for their assistance in watching for it.

Shortly after Jenkins arrived at the event, another man arrived with a purple 2018 Polaris UTV loaded on a trailer and parked directly beside Jenkins’ recreation vehicle. Although the two men told deputies that they did not know each other, it was later determined that they are brothers.

Upon inspection, deputies found that the vehicle identification number had been removed and noted there were several aftermarket equipment similarities with the one reported stolen by Jenkins. The vehicle was temporarily seized until the VIN could be confirmed. Detective Motley later went to Webster Parish to escort the UTV to a Polaris dealership in Bossier City, where they were able to electronically retrieve the VIN and verified that it was the stolen UTV.

If Jenkins violates the terms and conditions of his probation he could be ordered to serve time in prison.

Previous articleMain Street Texarkana Presses Pause on Annual Christmas Parade
Next articleAnimal Care & Adoption Center’s New Facility to Debut Next Year