Junk Yard Operator Sold Insurance to Illegals

Posted on Wednesday, 13 of February , 2008 at 7:57 pm

DELAWARE COUNTY—The operator of a Delaware County junk yard is under arrest for fraudulently insuring cars that he then registered for undocumented immigrants without drivers licenses.

William Hrazanek, 61, of Old Route 28 in the Village of Fleischmanns, near Middletown, was arrested by Mark Howard, an investigator with the state Insurance Department’s Frauds Bureau, assisted by State Police. He was charged with insurance fraud and offering a false instrument for filing. He could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Hrazanek is accused of fraudulently providing insurance and auto registrations for used cars with high mileage that he sold to unlicensed drivers. In some cases, Hrazanek is alleged to have provided insurance and registrations for used cars that unlicensed drivers purchased elsewhere and brought to him.

Police identified the unlicensed drivers as undocumented immigrants living mostly in Delaware and Ulster counties. Under New York State law, only U.S. citizens or legal residents may apply for driver’s licenses and applicants must have valid identification, such as a Social Security card. Investigators said none of the individuals had Social Security cards.

Howard said the cars were improperly added as “garage vehiclesâ€