A former Ohio U.S. Postal Service worker is alleged to have participated in 35 motorcycle races during an 18-month period in which he was disabled or on light duty, according to federal court documents.
Jerry French was indicted last week in Dayton’s U.S. District Court on counts of making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements to medical personnel and the postal service which led to Office of Workers’ Compensation Benefits of $93,971.42.
French is at least the eighth area postal worker to face allegations of federal crimes in the past few years.
Former West Carrollton postal worker Laticha Schroyer had pleaded guilty in a case where she was seen vacationing while injured, but she recently asked to withdraw her plea by bill of information.
No defense attorney is listed for French in federal court documents, and no dates have been scheduled in the case.
An indictment filed March 15 detailed how French allegedly injured his knee while falling on ice when he was delivering mail on Feb. 2, 2011.
French filled out a claim for disability pay and was off from work for a year until returning to one hour of limited duty per day, the indictment said.
The Department of Labor accepted French’s injury as a sprained knee in April 2011, according to court documents.
The indictment said French allegedly told two doctors that he could not perform most work duties, that his pain level was 8 out of 10 and that he was in pain 24/7.
A doctor amended his report to say an MRI indicated a meniscus tear and the Department of Labor approved an arthroscopic surgery, the indictment said.
The indictment said that in October 2011, another doctor performed the surgery and later submitted a report showing there was no meniscus tear and that the knee was normal.
On Dec. 1, 2011, French completed a medical history form at Kettering Medical Center in which he stated he had extreme difficulty doing tasks such as usual work, housework, hobbies, recreational and sporting activities, the indictment said.
French said, according to the document, that he had “moderate difficulty” doing activities including putting on socks, doling light activities, getting in and out of vehicles and sitting for one hour.
The indictment said in March 2012, a doctor reported French’s pain representations were out of proportion to the pathology.
In July 2012, French told a third doctor that he could no longer ride motorcycles because of his knee injury, according to the indictment.
The document said in September 2013, a Department of Labor form he submitted limited him to zero hours for lifting weight, walking, climbing, kneeling, bending, stooping and operating machinery.
In October 2013, French was interviewed by special agents from the U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, the document said.
During that interview, French said he was physically unable to work, go up and down stairs, kneel, ride or race his motorcycles, pass a National Hot Rod Association physical, fill his nitrous oxide tank, drive a manual car or put pressure on his left leg.
The indictment said that from May 13, 2011, to Oct. 23, 2013, agents of the Inspector General observed French “participating in approximately thirty-five motorcycle races and one car race at various racetracks in Ohio and Indiana.”
The document also said agents saw French loading trailers, carrying equipment and moving metal tanks.
The indictment doesn’t explain why it was filed several years after the events and federal prosecutors didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.
About the Author
