A Leonardtown man was issued a felony summons after Maryland State Police detectives claimed he exploited another person’s insurance coverage to file two fraudulent vehicle damage claims totaling over $6,600.
Damont Eric Barnes, 43, was charged in St. Mary’s County District Court with two charges of felony theft ranging from $1,500 to $25,000, as well as two counts of felony identity fraud.
According to charging documents, Maryland State Police launched an investigation when a policyholder saw two unexpected claims on his GEICO mobile app.
The policyholder told authorities that he was traveling out of state with his wife at the time of both claimed accidents and denied involvement in either crash.
According to court filings, the claims increased his monthly insurance cost from $494.96 to $721.70.
Investigators claimed Barnes submitted the claims while acting as the policyholder and using his vehicle and insurance information.
The first claim was to alleged property damage at Chancellor’s Run Regional Park in Lexington Park. According to the complaint, the policyholder backed into a concession stand and drove over a cellphone that was placed nearby.
According to charging documents, a check for $1,832.92 was written on February 6, 2026, to a person claiming to live at a Lexington Park location. Investigators discovered no Maryland records for that individual and established that the listed address was owned by someone else.
According to court filings, a GEICO investigator compared recordings from the individual who filed the claim to recordings of the policyholder’s voice and discovered substantial variances.
The second claim claimed that the policyholder rear-ended another vehicle after his truck encountered ice. The report indicated that a bicycle attached to the other car had been damaged.
According to court filings, a check for $4,849.20 was issued on February 11, 2026 to a person identified at an Aberdeen address. Investigators found no Maryland records for the named recipient and established that the property was owned by another.
Investigators also discovered a receipt for a bicycle reportedly purchased from Trek Bicycle in Waldorf. The store and the recipient’s claimed address were around 74 miles apart, and police discovered another Trek outlet about 25 miles away.
A GEICO investigation report also stated that images of the reportedly damaged bicycle were contradictory with the reported collision. Photos of the insured vehicle allegedly revealed no front-end damage.
The policyholder identified Barnes as a likely suspect and told detectives Barnes had previously approached him about filing a bogus insurance claim and dividing the payout, according to criminal documents.
According to investigators, Barnes was related to other insurance fraud cases involving similar charges.
Barnes was not arrested in this case. A criminal summons was issued on July 25, 2026.
A preliminary inquiry is set for September 4, 2026, in St. Mary’s County District Court.
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