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Hillsborough Deputies: He Scammed Insurer To Pay Drug Debt

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TBO.com

Published: August 21, 2008

  Peter Padilla

TAMPA - Peter Padilla's drug debts were more important to him than his brand new Cadillac Escalade.

That's what the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says in court documents charging Padilla, 49, with arson, burning to defraud an insurer, making false insurance claims, dealing in stolen property and making a false report to law enforcement.

In May 2007, Padilla reported his 2007 Cadillac Escalade was stolen in Hillsborough County, according to an arrest affidavit. The tracking system OnStar located the sport utility vehicle in Pasco County at the home of Dale L. Givens, who told deputies Padilla was the owner and called him in their presence, the affidavit states.

Padilla went to Given's home and recanted his original statement to deputies that the vehicle had been stolen.

In October, Padilla again reported the vehicle stolen, claiming he dropped the keys outside his daughter's apartment, an affidavit states. The next day, the car was found burned at 15140 Rails Road in Hillsborough County. The vehicle was deemed a total loss, and Padilla's insurance company paid more than $38,000 to MacDill Federal Credit Union, which held the car loan.

The insurer also paid $638 to Padilla for a rental car.

In July, a witness told deputies Padilla had given his keys to Jason Brady Barnes to burn the vehicle for insurance money, according to an affidavit.

Deputies determined Padilla did this "to receive insurance money to pay off drugs purchased from drug dealers," according to an affidavit.

Barnes, 31, was arrested in July and charged with arson, burglary, grand theft and possession of burglary tools, according to sheriff's office records.

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