CFO Announces More Charges For Cantonment Man Accused Of Fabricating Shooting Story

March 18, 2010

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer has announced that insurance fraud charges have been filed against the Cantonment man arrested for fabricating a shooting story.

johnbryant.jpgJohn Horace Bryant, 34, was charged with staging an accident with intent to file a claim, filing a false insurance claim with the Department of Insurance, grant theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

His arrest was part of a statewide sweep of staged accident scammers last week that resulted in the arrest of 19 suspects by Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s department.

“Staged accidents put every Floridian at risk, both physically and financially,” said Sink. “I am taking aggressive action every day to get these scammers off our streets and behind bars where they belong.”

Bryant was arrested in February on two child cruelty charges for shooting a teenager in the leg as part of what deputies say was a fabricated story designed to frame his ex-wife. The charges stem from an incident where a 17-year old juvenile was shot with birdshot in the left leg during the early morning hours of January 4 on Sundance Lane in Cantonment. He was also charged with aggravated stalking and obstruction of justice for making up the shooting stories in an attempt to frame his ex-wife.

“Subsequent investigations revealed that Bryant had directed a 16-year old to shoot the other juvenile with a shotgun taken from Bryant’s house,” Sgt. Ted Roy, sheriff’s office spokesperson, said after the arrest. “The actual shooting victim believed he had been shot by Jennifer Bryant due to the statements made to him by John Braynt.” Jennifer Bryant is John Bryant’s ex-wife.

Bond in the insurance fraud case has been set at $35,000 for Bryant. He is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail on earlier charges.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News