U.S. Attorney Jaime E. Esparza | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Jaime E. Esparza | U.S. Department of Justice
A federal jury in San Antonio has found former Castroville Police Chief Christopher Filline guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The conviction stems from a scheme Filline devised in 2016, aimed at defrauding Farmers Insurance Group.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that Filline, aged 58, orchestrated the destruction of his insured vehicle. He enlisted two accomplices to take the vehicle and set it on fire using an accelerant. Following this, Filline filed a false report with the Lytle Police Department and submitted an insurance claim to Farmers Insurance Group, falsely stating that his vehicle had been stolen. This fraudulent claim resulted in a payout of $14,388.25 to Filline.
Filline was indicted in January 2020. He now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2025.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg Surovic and Christina Playton are leading the prosecution.
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