Monroe - A Monroe insurance agent was booked today into the Monroe City Jail on two counts of theft and two counts of fraud in the latest arrest in the statewide crackdown on insurance fraud.

Jerry Cason Fortner, 73, 2609 Chatwood Dr., Monroe, was booked for allegedly issuing worthless certificates of insurance and pocketing the premium dollars he collected. The investigation was carried out by the Department of Insurance, State Police Insurance Fraud Task Force, Monroe City Police and Ouachita-Morehouse District Attorney's Office.

The investigation is continuing in this case to determine, among other things, how many victims were involved. The type of insurance involved is commercial coverage including workers compensation coverage. Department of Insurance investigators served Fortner today with a cease and desist order and suspended his insurance license. He will also face additional counts for allegedly falsifying his application for an insurance license by failing to disclose a previous arrest.

Today's actions are part of a sweep being made around the state by the Department of Insurance and the State Police Task Force on Insurance Fruad. Insurance Fraud is a huge problem in Louisiana. Claims fraud alone in Louisiana is estimated at $2.3 billion a year.