Salinas man gets 10 years’ probation for insurance fraud, tax evasion

Ricardo Casillas, 33, of Salinas will spend the next 10 years on probation and serve 300 days in Monterey County Jail for tax evasion and insurance fraud.

Casillas was convicted of making misrepresentations in order to obtain a lower workers’ compensation insurance premium, one count of insurance fraud and one count of willfully failing to file payroll tax returns with the intent to evade taxes.

Casillas is the owner of Casillas Transportation Services and Desert Express Transportation Lines.

He must also pay more than $60,000 in fines, and pay $351,516.31 in restitution to the Employment Development Department.

The Monterey County Superior Court also retains the jurisdiction to order Casillas to pay restitution to the insurance carrier he defrauded. A victim restitution hearing is set for April 25.