CHARLESTON, WV -- West Virginia Insurance Commissioner, Jane L. Cline, announced today that a Wyoming County man, Charles R. Blessard of Oceana, age 37, plead guilty today to one misdemeanor count of "wrongfully seeking workers compensation benefits in an amount less than $1000, and is scheduled to be sentenced by the Honorable Paul Zakaib, Circuit Judge on June 16, 2008. Mr. Blessard had been indicted on four counts of "wrongfully seeking workers compensation benefits" on September 28, 2006 and was later arrested on June 5, 2007 after failing to appear and enter a plea to the indictment. Mr. Blessard continued to seek disability benefits from his previous employer after going to work for another employer. Mr. Blessard faces a sentence of up to one (1) year in a county jail and a fine up to $2,500, or both at the discretion of the court.
Cline stated, "Disability benefits are available to workers that are injured in the course of, and resulting from, their employment. Individuals who seek to deceive the workers compensation system are subject to criminal prosecution, and deservedly so, as it costs all consumers extra money for goods and services from employers who employee these deceivers. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those individuals who try to obtain financial gain and access to benefits they are not entitled to".