Wash. Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud

A Grays Harbor County, Wash. man has pled guilty to a felony charge of first- degree theft and for fraudulently receiving workers’ compensation benefits.

Sherwin D. Phillips, 31, was allegedly receiving workers’ comp disability benefits for an injury he sustained in March 2000 while working as a technician for a pest- control company in Olympia, Wash.

An investigation by the Wash. Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) showed that while Phillips was receiving disability benefits from that injury he worked at his own pest-control business, Advance Pest Prevention, in Aberdeen, Wash. Phillips reportedly did not inform the department that he had gone back to work.

Phillips was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which was converted to 240 hours of community service in addition to a $1,110 fine. Phillips was ordered to pay $9,545.76 in restitution to the L&I.