(IND) Spring Lake man accused of stealing over $265K from workers' comp insurer

TRENTON — Charles Kelcy Pegler Sr., 55, of Spring Lake, has been indicted for stealing more than $265,000 by providing false and misleading information to the workers’ compensation insurance carrier for his roofing company.

Pegler was charged Thursday with second-degree theft by deception, second-degree false contract payment claim for a government contract, third-degree insurance fraud and fourth-degree false swearing, the state Attorney General’s Office announced.

Pegler is the president of Roof Diagnostics Inc. located at 2333 Route 34 in Wall. During the time described by the indictment, the company was at 608 Brighton Ave. in Spring Lake Heights.

The indictment alleges that between June 6, 2002 and Oct. 5, 2009, Pegler stole $265,044 from New Jersey Casualty Insurance Co. by creating the false impression that Roof Diagnostics was not a roofing company, that it did not employ roofers and that it did not install, maintain or repair roofs. That meant he paid far less in insurance premiums than he should have, according to state investigators.

“This defendant had a legal responsibility to provide adequate and lawful workers’ compensation coverage for employees,” Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said in a release. “By providing misinformation to his workers’ compensation carrier, he not only failed in this responsibility but also defrauded an insurance company out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The cost of such fraud is passed on to consumers through increased premiums.”

The indictment also maintains that in January 2009, Pegler knowingly submitted a fraudulent claim that he was entitled to $34,295 for work that his company performed as part of a contract between his company and Galloway Township.

The indictment alleges that Pegler knowingly failed to have in place proper workers’ compensation coverage for his roofing employees as required by the government contract.

Deputy Attorney General Bradford Muller, Special Deputy Attorney General Michael Locke and Detective Natalie Brotherston coordinated the investigation. Additional investigative assistance was provided by Detective Taryn Kong and Detective Trainee Ryan Kirsh.

Second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000 while third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and a fine of $15,000. Fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Source: AsburyParkPress.com