Topics Related to Fraud Control/Investigations

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Tony Lee Gunter, 29, of 1525 Gouges Creek Road, Spruce Pine. Gunter has been charged with exploiting a disabled or elderly person’s trust, identity theft and obtaining property by false pretense, all felonies.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Joshua Alexander Willis, 35, of 4501 Riverdale Drive, Charlotte. Willis is charged with 14 felonies across multiple counties including insurance fraud, obtaining property by false pretense, attempting to obtain property by false pretense and identity theft. 

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that Henry Lee Clyburn Jr., 42, of 1608 Charleston Place, Charlotte, was charged with felony insurance fraud and common law uttering, a misdemeanor. 

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Remonica Corlishia Earl, 48, of 4209 Howie Circle, Charlotte. Earl was charged with insurance fraud.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Victor Deontray Bannerman, 43, of 1827 Chapel Brook Way, Greensboro. Bannerman was charged with insurance fraud, attempting to obtain property by false pretense, common law forgery and common law uttering, all felonies. 

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Daffney Davis, 48, of 6126 Fernwood Drive, Concord. Davis was charged with two counts of insurance fraud, and one count of accessing computers to commit fraud, all felonies. 

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced that two Mecklenburg County brothers have pleaded guilty to charges related to a roofing scam sting in Wake County late last year.

Brett William Bentley, 28, and Robert Allen Bentley, 36, both of 6617 Elmstone Drive, Charlotte, offered guilty pleas in Wake County District Court earlier in August.

Brett Bentley pleaded guilty to misdemeanor injury to real property and paid court-ordered restitution of $27,678.50 to N.C. Farm Bureau Insurance along with court cost.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Melvin Junior Jones, 53, of 673 Largo Rd., Norlina. Jones was charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of attempting to obtain property by false pretense. Both are felonies.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Christopher Bernard Hammonds, 40, of 4637 Lynn Lee Circle, Charlotte, and Ashely Marie Sowers, 35, of 607 Glasgow Road, Charlotte. Both were charged with insurance fraud. Sowers was also charged with obtaining property by false pretense. Hammonds was also charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretense. All the charges are felonies.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Charles Cyril Edwards IV, 44, of 312 Olympia Road, New Bern. Edwards was charged with obtaining property by false pretense, a felony.

Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division accuse Edwards of submitting a fraudulent certificate of insurance to Tru-Co Inc., a general contractor, to obtain subcontracting work.

The offense occurred on May 23, 2025.

Edwards was arrested on Aug. 5 and released under a $10,000 unsecured bond.