Wyoming man arrested after stalking investigation leads to insurance fraud allegations

DRIGGS — A 33-year-old Wyoming man was arrested aft constabulary opportunity he faked a car burglary for security money.

Paul Shapiro is charged pinch felony security fraud and misdemeanor mendacious accusation provided to an officer.

Shapiro was besides charged successful a abstracted lawsuit successful July pinch felony expansive theft, felony burglary, and misdemeanor petty theft.

Burglary report

On Aug. 17, 2023, Shapiro reported a burglary and expansive theft to a Teton County, Idaho, Sheriff’s deputy, according to tribunal documents.

Shapiro allegedly claimed he near his motortruck parked astatine nan Mike Harris Campground successful Victor astir 4:30 p.m. connected Aug. 16.

He told nan lawman he rode his e-bike from nan motortruck to Driggs to meet pinch a friend, and erstwhile he sewage back, galore items had been stolen from nan truck, including guns, snowboards, transverse region skis, six upland bikes, Milwaukee and Makita tools, and “a batch of different items” according to constabulary reports.

Shapiro told nan lawman he would make a database of nan stolen items, and he needed to interaction nan security company.

Deputies opportunity Shapiro ne'er provided a database of nan missing items to them, and nan lawsuit was closed owed to nan “victim unwilling to cooperate.”

The investigation

On May 30, 2024, a Teton County Sheriff’s lawman was assisting successful a first-degree stalking investigation against Shapiro.

Shapiro was arrested that time during a postulation extremity for allegedly violating a civilian protection order.

On May 31, Teton County Sheriff’s deputies helped nan Jackson Police Department serving astatine hunt warrant astatine Shapiro’s location successful Jackson, Wyoming.

According to tribunal documents, deputies recovered grounds of “stalking, spot thefts, cheque fraud, and burglaries successful various jurisdictions, including Idaho and Wyoming.”

On June 4, Shapiro reportedly made a jailhouse telephone from nan Jefferson County Jail, wherever he was booked, asking a family personnel to salary for his retention portion successful Driggs.

Shapiro reportedly told nan family personnel that he kept nan retention portion nether nan clone name, “Mike Jones.”

Deputies later obtained a hunt warrant for nan retention unit, wherever they reportedly recovered stolen spot from respective burglaries astir Teton County.

On Aug. 6, deputies began searching Shapiro’s phone, wherever they recovered a statement from Aug. 17 astatine 5:23 a.m. branded “Car Theft Insurance Claim.” The statement lists nan aforesaid items Shapiro reported were stolen from his truck.

Through nan metadata, nan lawman was capable to find nan statement was written connected Microsoft Excel connected July 14, complete a period earlier Shapiro reported nan theft.

According to constabulary reports, nan worth of nan items Shapiro alleged had been stolen was complete $100,000.

After nan aggregate searches, deputies discovered that astir of nan items Shapiro said were stolen had been located successful his truck, retention portion and home.

On Aug. 7, nan lawman contacted Shapiro’s security institution and confirmed he made an charismatic study of stolen property, but nan institution had not yet paid him immoderate of it.

A summons was issued for Shapiro connected Aug. 29, and he was served nan summons connected Sept. 4. He appeared successful tribunal connected Wednesday for an first appearance, but further hearings person not yet been scheduled.

If convicted, Shapiro could look up to 15 and a half months successful situation for nan security fraud case.

In nan July theft case, he could look up to 25 years successful prison.

Though Shapiro has been charged pinch these crimes, it does not needfully mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed guiltless until they are proven guilty.