School employee pleads no contest to workers’ comp fraud

Jan. 30--A Stanislaus Union School District employee pleaded no contest to workers' compensation insurance fraud, the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office announced Friday.

John Heaton was employed as a campus monitor for the district and reported an on-the-job injury in November 2015. He filed a workers' compensation claim and as a result received medical treatment and benefits.

During a subsequent investigation, it was claimed that Heaton made false statements during a meeting with the district's return-to-work specialist. Heaton misrepresented facts as it related to his physical abilities, according to the DA's Office.

Heaton was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years oF probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $8,341.66 for the benefits and investigation costs.

The case was a joint investigation by Probe Information Services, the California Department of Insurance Fraud Division and the Amador County District Attorney's Workers Compensation Fraud Unit. The unit investigates insurance fraud cases in Stanislaus, Amador and Calaveras counties through a state grant.

Suspected fraud can be reported to the department's hotline at 800-927-4357 or to the Amador district attorney at 209-223-6444.

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