Dawson mayor fined in insurance fraud case

<p>Dawson Mayor Robert Albritten has ended more than two years of insurance fraud allegations by pleading no contest to nine misdemeanor counts.</p><p>Albritten, a retired insurance salesman, was sentenced to 12 months probation and fined $9,000 Tuesday under a plea bargain in which 12 felony counts were dismissed and nine were reduced to misdemeanor charges of general violations of the state insurance code.</p><p>The 62-year-old mayor was accused of falsifying life insurance forms for 10 personal care home residents who either did not know or understand that they were purchasing insurance policies.</p><p>A Dougherty County jury acquitted him of seven counts of insurance fraud in September 2003 but deadlocked on 21 others. He was re-indicted two months later.</p><p>"We were very pleased to be able to work this out," defense attorney William J. Murray of Americus said Wednesday. He said Albritten maintains his innocence and would have continued to fight fraud charges.</p><p>The prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Victory Darrisau, said the state was "pleased that he decided to accept responsibility for his conduct and we're pleased with the ultimate resolution in this case."</p><p>Albritten was re-elected as mayor in the Terrell County seat in November 2002 despite the insurance fraud allegations and a drunken driving arrest.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/2/151436