PRINCE FREDERICK --- Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that John E. McKenney, Jr., 54, of Prince Frederick, Maryland, pleaded guilty in the Circuit Court for Calvert County to stealing approximately $6000.00 in death benefit proceeds belonging to one of his clients as the beneficiary of her late husband’s life insurance policy.

Calvert Circuit Court Judge Marjorie L. Clagett sentenced McKenney to three years’ incarceration, suspended that sentence, and placed McKenney on three years probation. The conviction follows a joint investigation conducted by the Office of the Attorney General and the Maryland Insurance Fraud Division of the Maryland Insurance Administration.

According to the statement of facts presented by the prosecutor, in July of 2003, the insurance company established an account from which the beneficiary of one of their policies could access life insurance proceeds and gave the checkbook to McKenney for delivery to the client. McKenney never delivered the checkbook and, between July 17th and August 4th of last year, forged his client’s signature and negotiated three checks totaling $6000.00. When confronted by investigators, McKenney admitted to cashing the checks and paid the money back. He subsequently consented to the revocation of his insurance agent’s license by the Maryland Insurance Administration.