Calif. Police Officer Allegedly Caught Partying at Stagecoach and at Disneyland While Collecting $600k in Workers' Compensation
Former Westminster Police Department officer Nicole Brown is facing 15 felony charges for alleged workers' compensation insurance fraud
Brown was injured while on the job in 2022 and took disability amounting to $600,000, according to the Office of the District Attorney of Orange County
While on disability, Brown allegedly attended the Stagecoach Music Festival in addition to other activities like visiting Disneyland, skiing, running 5Ks and moreA California police officer is facing 15 felony charges and up to 22 years in prison after being accused of alleged workers' compensation insurance fraud and stealing more than $600k from taxpayers.
Nicole Brown, formerly of the Westminster Police Department, suffered a head injury in 2022 while attempting to handcuff a suspect and was later placed on disability.
According to a May 20 press release from the Office of the District Attorney of Orange County, Brown, 39, 'complained to her watch commander that she had a headache and was feeling dizzy, but an emergency room doctor who examined her that same day released her back to work without restrictions.'
Several days after the incident, Brown called in sick to work multiple days in a row and was later diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome and was placed on Total Temporary Disability, according to the release.
Officers who receive a job-related injury are entitled to their full salary for up to a year in addition to any medical fees. The district attorney's office claims that Brown cost Westminster more than $600,000 in tax payer money during her time on disability.
While on her disability, Brown complained of 'headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, problems processing thoughts and words and an inability to work on the computer or do any screentime,' the release claims.
However, an investigation alleged that while on disability, Brown was witnessed drinking and partying at the Stagecoach Music Festival in April 2023, despite the loud, crowded environment with temperatures over 100 degrees.
She was also alleged to have gone to Disneyland, attended three AYSO soccer conferences, went snowboarding or skiing in Big Bear and Mammoth, ran two 5k races, played golf, took online courses with a university and attended baseball games.
Brown's stepfather Peter Schuman, who is a licensed attorney in California, has also been charged after being accused of aiding her in committing fraud by advocating on her behalf during a meeting to discuss what police duties she could perform. The meeting took place three days after the Stagecoach Music Festival. During the meeting, Brown allegedly 'claimed she was unable to look at the screen' and was 'sitting in a dark room' with Schuman speaking on her behalf, the release adds.
Schuman, 57, has been charged with one felony count of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim and one felony count of assisting, abetting, conspiring with and soliciting a person in unlawful act. Schuman is facing a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and could 'suffer discipline by the State Bar of California,' according to the district attorney.
Brown has been charged with nine felony counts of making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation, six felony counts of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim and one felony enhancement of committing an aggravated white collar crime over $100,000. If convicted on all counts, Brown could face up to 22 years in prison.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Office of the District Attorney for updates on the case.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Prior to her leave, Brown served as a Homeless Liaison Officer in Westminster.
'I just don't think that anyone is hopeless,' Brown told the site Behind the Badge in 2020. 'This is not the prettiest job, dealing with the homeless. You might get someone off the streets and they might go back to the streets and it's that cycle. But to actually be able to make an impact on someone's life for the better is why I wanted this position.'
At the time, Brown's partner Roland Perez said of her, 'She has compassion. She is all about notes. Everything is organized. She keeps me focused.'
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Maxwell Anderson found guilty on all counts in murder of Sade Robinson. What to know about verdict
(This story was updated to add more information.) A Milwaukee County jury on June 6 convicted 34-year-old Maxwell Anderson of killing and mutilating 19-year-old Sade Robinson last April. Jurors listened to eight days of witness testimony and delivered the verdict after less than an hour of deliberation. Here's what to know: Yes, jurors found Anderson guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilation of a corpse, hiding a corpse and arson. Jurors took about 45 minutes total to deliberate and find Anderson guilty of all charges. They deliberated for about 15 minutes starting at 4:40 p.m. on June 5, and for about 30 minutes between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. June 6. Anderson remained largely still as the verdicts were read out, appearing to swallow and blink a few times. Scarbrough spoke to the media after the verdict, saying of her daughter: "She will be forever remembered as an angel. She is a hero." Scarbrough later urged support for missing Black and Brown women, and advocated for the creation of a state taskforce. More: Wisconsin lawmakers tried to create a task force for missing and murdered Black women. Will this year be different? Swanigan said the Robinson family will continue to pursue its civil case against Anderson. She added that Robinson's family hopes to force Anderson to participate in a deposition, so outstanding questions about her death might be answered. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Anderson in June 2024, and sued the two bars Robinson attended with Anderson on the night of her death in April 2025. Later, the attorney chastised some media outlets' decision to publish graphic images during the proceedings. Vance-Curzan said the state was 'feeling confident' throughout the trial, going on to say authorities spent "countless hours" investigating. 'When a case is investigated the way this one was investigated, the evidence just spoke for itself,' he said. The prosecutor also said he was thinking of Robinson's family. 'While we are satisfied with this verdict, our hearts go out to the family of Sade Robinson,' he said. 'This is a tragedy, and I'm just hopeful this verdict will be a step towards healing.' Cotton told WISN-12 News he wasn't surprised by the jury's quick deliberation. 'We respect the jury's verdict,' Cotton said. 'We understand they had a very difficult job to do. They obviously thought about it overnight.' He also said there was a "sense of relief" with the end of the trial. Cotton reportedly received personal threats. 'My heart goes out to Sade's family,' he added. 'I can't imagine what they're going through." Anderson will be sentenced at 10 a.m. Aug. 15. A conviction for first-degree intentional homicide carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment in Wisconsin. It's possible that Anderson could serve part of the sentence in prison and then be eligible for extended supervision, but it will be decided by a judge. No, Wisconsin doesn't have the death penalty. Chris Ramirez, David Clarey, Maia Pandey, Sophie Carson and Ariela Lopez contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Maxwell Anderson trial in Milwaukee: What to know about the guilty verdicts
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
3 arrested after large crowds swarm Bardstown Road for second straight weekend
This story was updated to include new information and add video. Three people were arrested after crowds attempted to take over a busy section of Bardstown Road in the Highlands in the early morning hours of June 1. Antayvia Brown, 22, and Jakaya Snyzer, 20, were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct after the incident broke out in the 1000 block of Bardstown Road. A 16-year-old girl was also arrested, officials said. Brown also faces a trespassing charge for being found on the property of a Chipotle location in the area, according to an arrest citation. Louisville Metro Police spokesperson Dwight Mitchell said Fifth Division officers responded to large crowds on Bardstown Road at around 1 a.m. As the situation escalated, multiple fights occurred which required involvement from the department's rapid response team. "We recognize the disruption this caused to residents and businesses in the area and appreciate the public's cooperation and patience," Mitchell said. "Our officers remain committed to maintaining peace and protecting the safety of all community members." Tell us what you think: Submit your letter to the editor here Brown and Snyzer are set to appear in court June 4. The recent incident follows crowds of hundreds blocking roadways and causing disturbances over Memorial Day weekend after several bars closed in the area. Nearby establishments include Highlands Tap Room, Atomic Sound Club & Game Yard and The Hub Louisville, with some staying open until 4 a.m. While crowds dispersed with no violence and the roads quickly reopened, the incident sparked conversations around public safety. Councilman Ben Reno-Weber, whose district includes the Highlands, previously said he was working with LMPD to assign a detail squad to Bardstown Road on Friday and Saturday nights when large groups are in the area. LMPD also said the department would take the initiative to increase police presence and deter crime in the neighborhood, including closing and limiting access to select parking lots, installing additional surveillance cameras and working with local business owners to prevent trespassing. Business owners are encouraged to file a Trespass Enforcement Request Form, which authorizes officers to address trespassing without an on-site complaint, LMPD said. Reno-Weber said June 2 that the Highlands Tap Room has agreed to a voluntary and temporary 2 a.m. closure on Friday and Saturday nights and that he's grateful for a proactive response over the weekend from LMPD and Alcoholic Beverage Control. The councilman said he'll continue working with partners to adjust business closing times and block parking lots to trespassers, as well as preserve the area as "welcoming to those who want to respect their neighbors and unwelcoming to those seeking to cause trouble." "Going forward if this kind of behavior continues, expect to have cars towed, tickets issues, and, for those who persist in instigating fights or blocking roads, more arrests made," he said. Reporter Molly Gregory contributed. Reach Marina Johnson at This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Hundreds gather on Bardstown Road for 2nd weekend; 3 arrested
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Baltimore Sun Hall of Fame 2025: Stuart O. ‘Stu' Simms, lawyer and leader
How do you get difficult things done? Stuart O. 'Stu' Simms has a theory on that. The onetime Baltimore state's attorney, former secretary to two Cabinet-level state agencies and partner at Brown, Goldstein & Levy boils it down to this: It's about getting the right people in the room. Oh, that doesn't mean it's going to be easy or fast. You can expect a lot of different ideas and personalities. But if you can get people who know their stuff, who genuinely seek to solve problems and not promote personal agendas, the 74-year-old Harvard Law-trained lawyer says, the resulting conversation can put you on the right road. An example? Years ago, Baltimore Police regularly had big backlogs of arrestees. The legal community wondered: Why not locate a court to review bails next to the jail? Some people in the judiciary balked. But thanks to Simms and others advocating for that reform, eventually it happened —and it helped. 'You have to come to the table and be open to some solutions,' Simms says. And that is a philosophy that has guided his career. Simms, now retired, may be remembered as one of the most successful — and perhaps most low-key — leaders in public safety that Maryland has seen over the past 40 years. Colleagues say his quiet competence commands respect. University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke, who chose Simms as his deputy when he was Baltimore state's attorney, traces it back to Simms' days on the gridiron. The Harlem Park native was a fullback and star at Gilman School and then Dartmouth College, where he started three years and helped lead the school to three straight Ivy League football championships. 'He was willing to take those tough jobs like running back,' recalls Schmoke, himself a former star quarterback at Baltimore City College in the same mid-1960s era. 'In his professional life, he demonstrated the same kind of determination as he did as a distinguished athlete in high school and the college level.' But Simms' outlook wasn't just forged on the playing field; it was also shaped by his turbulent times: the late 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement as Black men and women sought to redefine their place in this country. It would have been easy for the son of a steelworker father and public schoolteacher mother to question authority. But he also found inspiration during his senior year at Dartmouth: While on a fellowship in Atlanta, he was introduced to Maynard Jackson, the lawyer and civil rights leader who in 1974 would become the city's first Black mayor. He ended up working for him for almost a year. 'It was a life-changing experience to work with him,' Simms recalls. He considered postponing law school; Jackson told him not to wait. He was needed on the playing field of public service and the law. He was needed to be a change-maker. After Harvard Law, the U.S. Department of Justice eventually beckoned. Simms spent four years there as a prosecutor, gaining trial and investigative acumen. He recalls those days as 'challenging' but enjoyable, learning from the talented courtroom rivals who advocated for criminal defendants. Then came his days as deputy state's attorney in Baltimore, only to find himself promoted to the top job when his boss was elected mayor. Simms was elected state's attorney in 1990 and reelected in 1994. In 1995, then-Gov. Parris Glendening came calling, hiring him first to run the Department of Juvenile Services and in 1997 to serve as secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, one of state government's most challenging assignments. 'If ever I was in a foxhole fighting a war, I'd want Stu there with me,' said U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a Baltimore Democrat who has known Simms for 45 years. 'He has a strong sense of commitment and dedication. And he has a moral compass we don't always find these days with people.' It is notable that those two agencies have been immersed in much controversy in recent years but not so when Simms was running them. Indeed, the fact that his name was rarely in the news may have worked against him when he ran a hastily arranged campaign to be Maryland attorney general in 2006 and lost the Democratic primary to Montgomery County State's Attorney Douglas F. Gansler. 'Decency. That's the word that suits Stu,' said Larry Gibson, the longtime Democratic organizer and law professor who managed his political campaigns. 'He is an intelligent, decent, productive person. Not someone who seeks limelight or has a large ego.' In more recent years, he's also someone who has been supporting many civic and professional causes, serving as chief counsel to Maryland Legal Aid and on the boards of the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Gilman and others. In 2022, he lost his beloved Candace, his wife of 49 years. They first met in high school and developed a lasting bond in college. He is a father of two and grandfather of two. His hope for the future? That others will look to do the right thing and not spend time 'thinking about the damn headlines,' as he was once told by his coach at Gilman. 'I took the job seriously,' he says. 'I wanted to do the right thing.' Peter Jensen is an editorial writer at The Baltimore Sun; he can be reached at pejensen@ Age: 74 Hometown: Baltimore Current residence: Baltimore Education: Gilman School; Dartmouth College; Harvard Law School Career highlights: Staff counsel to U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes; assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland; Baltimore state's attorney; secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Justice and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; partner, Brown, Goldstein & Levy; Maryland Legal Aid chief counsel Civic and charitable activities: University of Maryland School of Law advisory board; board member for Baltimore Museum of Art, president of the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust and past board member of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Gilman School, Sinai Hospital, St. James Episcopal Church, United Way of Central Maryland, Baltimore Community Foundation, Associated Black Charities and the Baltimore NAACP Family: Wife Candace died in 2022; two sons; two grandchildren
