A Baker, Florida woman was arrested by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office Financial Crimes Unit after she allegedly took payment to provide insurance for a local business, and kept the money.
On September 18, 2017, the owner of the Panama City Beach business filed a complaint with the BCSO stating that in July of 2016, he had purchased insurance policies from 42-year-old Sherrie Creel with Emerald Coast Insurance Services in Panama City. He gave Creel about $67,000, and was provided with documentation by Creel that led him to believe he had obtained the policies with the insurance companies. However, when the owner attempted to renew the insurance policies in 2017, he learned that Creel had, in fact, failed to get the policies.
This left his business uninsured and legally vulnerable.
Investigators determined Creel did originally contact the insurance companies to initiate liability and property policies, but then never followed through with payment, keeping the approximately $67,000 given to her. The insurance companies then canceled the policies due to non-payment.
Investigators also learned Creel had sold her insurance company Emerald Coast Insurance Services and was now living in Baker. A warrant was issued for Creel and she was arrested on Friday by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and brought to Bay County.
Creel was charged with grand theft (over $20,000) and placed in the Bay County Jail.
