Farmer pleads guilty in $1 million federal crop insurance fraud case [The Fayetteville Observer, N.C.]

Dec. 20--A Lumberton farmer pleaded guilty on Wednesday to more than $1 million in crop insurance fraud, U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker said in a news release.

Harry Dean Canady, 63, pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, including fraud, lying and identity theft, in U.S. District Court in Raleigh. A sentencing date has not been set.

Canady raised tobacco, corn, wheat, soybeans and other crops. The news release says that from August 2006 through December 2009, he and others defrauded the federal crop insurance program through false reports of his crop production and false insurance claims of crop losses.

The other alleged conspirators aren't named in the news release or indictment.

The release says Canady committed identity theft by putting some of his crop sales in the names of his grandchildren, and that he also used fictitious names for some crop sales. Some sales were made "under the table" for cash with co-conspirators, the release says. These efforts were to hide the sales from authorities after he had filed insurance claims of crop losses.

Canady learned he was under investigation in 2008, the release says, and since then has threatened violence against lawmen.

Canady's fraud netted him a little more than $1 million in fraudulent insurance payments, the release says.

Canady also pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

He pleaded guilty in 1998 to involuntary manslaughter in the death of his brother, who he ran over with a pickup after the two had a fist fight.

Staff writer Paul Woolverton can be reached at woolvertonp@fayobserver.com or 486-3512.

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