Jury Convicts Quincy Farmer for Insurance Fraud Scheme

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A federal jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts late yesterday on all counts charged in the trial of Dean Mowen, 53, of Quincy, Ill., for his involvement in an insurance fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough presided over the trial, which began on Jan. 10. Mowen, of the 6900 block of Ellington Road, was allowed to remain on bond pending sentencing, scheduled for May 22, 2017.

Evidence presented by the government during the trial showed that in August 2015, Mowen and co-defendant David Speer traveled to Mississippi. Speer negotiated the purchase price and Mowen paid a local farmer approximately $30,000 cash for a New Holland 8970 tractor and a Case IH 2388 combine. Following the purchase, Mowen added a tractor and combine to his insurance policy at an estimated value of $108,000. Mowen and Speer then agreed that Speer would set the tractor and combine on fire, and on Oct. 1, 2015, Speer set the implements on fire. Mowen then contacted his insurance company to report the estimated loss of $108,000. In response to the insurance company's request for proof of payment for the tractor and combine, Mowen and Speer provided false receipts that exceeded the true value of the insured implements.

Speer, 68, of the 1500 block of N. 5th Street, Quincy, Ill., previously pled guilty, in August 2016, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud as charged with Mowen. In a separate case, Speer entered a plea of guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property, for transportation in April 2014, of a Case IH 7250 tractor, taken by fraud, from Hancock county, Ill., to St. Charles County, Mo. Speer has been detained since his arrest on June 1, 2016. Speer is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 27, 2017.

At sentencing, Mowen faces maximum statutory penalties of up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud (one count) and up to 20 years in prison for the charge of mail fraud (one count). Speer faces up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud (one count) and up to 10 years in prison for interstate transportation of stolen property (one count.) The maximum statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as sentencing is determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Crystal C. Correa and Gregory K. Harris are prosecuting the case and represented the government at trial. The charges were investigated by the West Central Illinois Task Force and the Quincy Police Department.