Blackfoot man sentenced for grand theft and insurance fraud

A 43-year old Blackfoot man was sentenced in Bonneville County Wednesday on two counts of grand theft and two counts of insurance fraud.

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said Bradley C. Sims was sentenced by Seventh District Judge Bruce Pickett after being found guilty during a June jury trial.

On the insurance fraud convictions, Sims was ordered to serve unified sentences of 5 years, with one fixed and 4 indeterminate. On the grand theft counts, Sims was ordered to unified sentences of 7 years with one fixed and 6 indeterminate. Pickettt ordered the sentences to run concurrently.

Sims will also be required to pay $34,603 in restitution to Progressive Insurance and $6,497 to the Idaho Department of Insurance.

According to the Attorney General’s office, Sims reported to Progressive in July 2013 that two 2012 Polaris snowmobiles were stolen from his home. Progressive paid out $20,048 on the claims. In January 2015, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office found Sims in possession of the two snowmobiles during the time they were reported as stolen.