Woman charged with insurance fraud, forgery
LAKE ASBURY – A Lake Asbury woman faces charges of forging a doctor’s certificate of examination and filing fraudulent insurance claims following an investigation by state officials and the insurance company itself.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office booked Michelle Lydia Cox, 45, on the charges on Feb. 12 and released her on her own recognizance.
According to the arrest warrant, the investigation began April 24, 2017 when Prudential Insurance Company of America received a claim from a short-term disability policy under the name of Michelle Smith-Sinkfield – whose legal name became Michelle Lydia Cox on August 13, 2016 – who listed her address as Hidden Meadows Court in the Rolling Hills community in Lake Asbury.
Investigators stated that Smith-Sinkfield completed, signed and dated the insurance claim application “alleging a medical issue.”
Investigators also found Cox had filled out and signed the Attending Physician Statement under the name of Edward Lin, D.O. on April 21, 2017.
“Prudential Insurance Company of America honored the claim and began to pay its weekly compensation of $652.05,” states the warrant. “Additionally, in support of this claim, Prudential Insurance also received from Michelle Smith-Sinkfield medical forms again purportedly signed by Dr. Lin, D.O. of Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia outlining the medical complaint, upcoming surgeries, and for the employee to be excused from work from 4/25/2017 through 07/13/2017.”
According to the warrant, when the fraudulent physician’s statement omitted the type of surgery, the insurance company’s claims department called the doctor’s office for confirmation.
“The Claims Department learned that there were no records of any appointments or upcoming surgeries with Michelle Smith-Sinkfield nor was she recorded to have been a patient of the hospital as the medical documents had shown,” states the warrant.
At that point, Prudential turned the claim over to its Corporate Investigations Division, stopped any further payments and then notified the Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud regarding Cox’s claim.
“It is also important to note that she was an employee of Emory Hospital at the time in the billing department,” states the warrant.
State investigators stated that when she was interviewed in her Lake Asbury Home, Cox had no explanation for the discrepancy and she continues “with presenting fraudulent oral statements to investigators in support of her claim.”
According to Florida Statutes, both charges are third-degree felonies.

Home invasion ends in arrest
MIDDLEBURG – A Middleburg man faces charges of home invasion robbery with a firearm following an investigation by police.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested August George Roewe III, 44, on Feb. 9 at 11:38 p.m. after they found he and an unidentified accomplice entered an unlocked home in the 4000 block of Phillip Smith Road and demanded the home’s occupants give them drugs.
According to the police report, Roewe and his accomplice initially concealed their faces with bandanas, but when Roewe’s bandana fell off when he was pistol-whipping the male victim, the female victim was able to identify him for police. Police said the couple was watching television when the break-in took place.
According to the police report, Roewe and his partner in crime rifled through the woman’s purse and stole $60 cash and other items that were redacted from the CCSO report.
Roewe was apprehended “a few hours after the home invasion” at a home in the 5400 block og County Road 218 where he was found hiding in a bathroom.
At press time, he remains in the Clay County Jail without bond.

Meth binge with juvenile ends in arrest
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A Green Cove Springs woman is charged with snorting methamphetamine with a juvenile.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office charged Tammy Ann Davis, 41, with child neglect without great bodily harm on Feb. 9 after obtaining an arrest warrant through the courts.
According to the arrest warrant, the victim bought the meth on December 20, 2017 “at an undisclosed location” and snorted the illicit drug with Davis. Police did not disclose how Davis and the juvenile are connected, however, the investigation began on Jan. 24 due to a “disturbance” that led to the juvenile disclosing the drug use.
According to the warrant, Davis failed to provide the victim with the supervision necessary to maintain the victim’s physical well-being.
At press time, Davis remains in the Clay County jail with bond set at $25,003.

Four counts of having sex with minors
ORANGE PARK – An Orange Park area woman faces charges of having sex with minors, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Police arrested Katie Loraine Burnell, 34, on Feb. 8 at her home in the Ridgeview area and booked her on four counts of carnal intercourse with an unmarried person under age 18 and one count of lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim between 12 and 16.
According to the arrest warrant, the investigation began on Jan. 27 when the victim’s mother told police that Burnell had been having sex with her 15-year-old son and her son who was 17 at the time of the encounters.
Overall, the now-18-year-old victim said he had had sex with Burnell four times during September 2017. He said it all began with Burnell asking him to rub her shoulders.
“The victim said while rubbing her shoulders she took his hands and placed them on her breast. The victim then stated they laid on the couch together and ultimately had sex,” states the arrest warrant.
At press time, Burnell remained in the Clay County Jail with bond set at $65,015.

Robbery charge for 20-year-old
ORANGE PARK – A Jacksonville man remains in jail after a robbery incident that took place last week near the Orange Park Mall.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested Timothy Ormell Wilson, 20, on Feb. 7 at 7:53 a.m. after conducting an investigation.
According to the police report, Wilson approached the victim and demanded he give him his headphones. When the victim refused, the victim said Wilson threatened him with an “unknown object” in his backpack and fled. Shortly after the incident with Wilson, the victim entered the mall and called the CCSO.
Wilson is charged with one count of robbery-unarmed and remains in the Clay County Jail, at press time, with bond set at $15,003.