Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet
Former insurance agent sentenced to 10 years in prison

BROWNSVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 23, 2005) – A former insurance agent who admitted pocketing $13,000 in insurance premiums from customers has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

William Kerry Browning, 58, of Brownsville, pleaded guilty in Edmonson Circuit Court to 10 felony counts of insurance fraud. In each case, Browning kept money that should have been forwarded to an insurer.

Browning’s guilty plea came on June 20. He was sentenced Aug. 15. Browning allowed his agent license to expire after he came under investigation. 

“The 10-year prison sentence is evidence of the seriousness of this crime,” said Glenn Jennings, executive director of the Kentucky Office of Insurance. “I commend our fraud division, the prosecutor and the judge in this case for sending a clear message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

The maximum penalty for each felony count is imprisonment for up to five years, a fine up to $10,000, or both.

KOI is an agency of the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet.