NORWICH – A Chenango County jury found an Afton business man guilty of six felonies last week after prosecutor’s argued he defrauded his workers’ compensation benefits.
He is now facing a maximum of 24 years in state prison.
On Feb. 4, the New York State Insurance Frauds Bureau and the New York State Police in Sidney arrested 60-year-old Edward J. Panus, owner of Ponderosa Fish Farms. He was accused of collecting around $60,000 from the workers’ compensation fund he was not entitled to since 1996.
Following a day long trial that began Tuesday, Panus was convicted after 48 minutes of jury deliberation.
District Attorney Joseph McBride said Panus now faces a possible maximum sentence of 24 years in state prison.
Panus was convicted of all six charges against him, three counts of first degree offering a false instrument for filing, an E Class felony and three counts of committing a fraudulent practice under the Worker’s Compensation Law, also an E Class felony. Each E felony carries with it a possible maximum sentence of four years in prison, explained McBride.
