Former Connellsville businessman gets early release from probation
A former Connellsville businessman convicted in 2009 of defrauding an insurance company will be released from probation by mid-August, according to a Court of Common Pleas ruling.
Louis D. Stern, 62, who along with his brother, Jay S. Stern, co-owned the now shuttered Burns Drug Stores in Connellsville, Mount Pleasant and Scottdale, was granted his request for early release from the three-year probation sentence by President Judge Gerald R. Solomon.
Noting that the Commonwealth objected to the early release, Solomon’s order signed Tuesday stated that following a hearing in the matter that included the consent by the county Adult Probation Office for the termination of the probation, the request would be granted, effective Aug. 14.
Through his legal counsel, attorney Samuel Davis, Stern requested the termination due to health reasons.
The charges against the brothers stemmed from an investigation by Highmark Insurance Co. that revealed the Sterns, along with an employee, conspired to repeatedly bill the insurance company for nearly 300 non-existing prescriptions, totaling about $70,000 in fraudulent bills.
Initially, both men along with the family owned Burns Wholesale Drug Corp. and the employee were charged with two third-degree felony counts of insurance fraud and one third-degree felony count each of theft by deception, criminal conspiracy and tampering with public records.
A month before the January 2010 sentencing, the charges were reduced with Jay Stern pleading guilty to a single third-degree felony count of insurance fraud with Louis Stern additionally offering a guilty plea to a single third-degree felony count of insurance fraud as corporation president.
Jay Stern was also sentenced to three years of probation.
In addition to repaying the insurance company, the Sterns were required to pay court costs and a $5,000 fine.
According to court documents, the payments have been made by the Sterns.