Trio of defendants cop pleas for role in staged crashes conspiracy

Three more defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in a sweeping conspiracy out of New Orleans involving a concerted series of staged crashes with commercial vehicles.

U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Wednesday, Oct. 21, that defendants Roderick Hickman, 49, of Baton Rouge, La.; Bernell Gale, 43, of Raceland, La.; and Troy Smith, 56, of Houma, La. entered guilty pleas to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.

In total, the victim trucking and insurance companies paid out $277,500 for fraudulent claims connected to these individuals. A total of 32 defendants have been charged to date.

The conspiracy charge stems out of a March 27, 2017, staged automobile crash with a tractor trailer. According to a news release announcing the pleas, Hickman and four other defendants, who have also been charged by indictment, intentionally collided with a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road in New Orleans.

Hickman intentionally struck the 18-wheeler and then fled the scene with Damian Labeaud, who pleaded guilty to a previous indictment charging him as one of the ringleaders responsible for staging dozens of crashes.

Labeaud was also involved in a crash on May 17 of this year, near Louisa and Chickasaw streets. Gale and Smith pleaded guilty to their participation in that crash,

The indictment states that Labeaud fled the scene and another defendant falsely reported to the New Orleans police that she had been driving and that the tractor-trailer had struck her vehicle.

According to documents filed in federal court, the passengers were referred to attorneys who paid Hickman and Labeaud to stage crashes.

“In some cases, the attorneys knew that the participants were uninjured but referred them to medical providers for treatment to increase the value of subsequent lawsuits,” according to a news release.

Hickman, Gale and Smith face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as up to three years of supervised release and/or a fine of $250,000.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk. LL