Burlington County Prosecutor, Scott Coffina, announced that the former chief of the Delran Emergency Squad admitted in Superior Court on Monday, May 6, to falsifying patient care reports and then submitting the fabricated records to insurance providers as part of a scheme to collect money for services that were not billable.
Under an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, Donald Horner, 67, formerly of Cinnaminson, pled guilty to Insurance Fraud (Third Degree) and Tampering with Public Records (Third Degree) in exchange for 364 days in the Burlington County Jail.
The Hon. Christopher J. Garrenger, J.S.C., set sentencing for June 24, 2019.
Officials say “the investigation revealed that Horner’s EMT certification expired on December 31, 2016. Horner was found to have altered reports on 27 subsequent occasions when he served as a crew member. This was done to conceal the fact that an uncertified EMT (Horner) participated in those transports, which would have disallowed the squad from billing for those services.”
The investigation further revealed that 11 of the altered reports were submitted to insurance companies, which paid out a total of $4,307.
As part of the negotiated plea, Horner must make restitution and forfeit his Emergency Medical Technician certification for life. Horner must also perform 200 hours of community service and pay a $1,300 fine.
According to investigators with the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Emergency Management, Horner threatened their lives when they arrived at the Chester Avenue squad to investigate in June, 2018 after receiving information about the fraud.
As a result, the State suspended the squad’s license to operate, and Horner resigned a short time later.
Horner was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Josh Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Insurance Fraud Unit. The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office Insurance Fraud Unit. The lead investigator was BCPO Detective Steve Laramie.
