Cops: 3 Accused of Hicksville Insurance Fraud

Three men were charged with insurance fraud in Hicksville Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Nassau police say that on Feb. 15, Anthony D. Trapani, 24, of Hicksville, told Nassau County Police that his 2007 Ford Mustang was stolen from the Hicksville Long Island Rail Road station.

An investigation revealed that Trapani conspired with Michael Schmeltzer, 24, of Hicksville, who arranged to have the car taken from Trapani’s residence by William Lange, 44, of Amityville, detectives said.

• Sign up for your local Patch newsletter and breaking news alerts here.

Schmeltzer then drove Trapani to the train station to make the report, police said. Lange took the car to 2102 Washington Avenue in Seaford where it was recovered, police said. On Feb. 18, Schmeltzer was placed under arrest at his residence, police said.

Trapani and Lange were arrested Wednesday at 2:20 p.m. at the Hicksville train station, according to police. The three men are charged with third-degree insurance fraud and fifth-degree conspiracy. Trapani is also charged with first-degree falsifying business records and making a punishable false written statement.

Schmeltzer was scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 19 at First District Court in Hempstead, where Trapani and Lange are to be arraigned on Wednesday.

NCPD photos of Anthony D. Trapani, Michael Schmeltzer, and William Lange

More on Patch:

• Police: Man Asked 14-Year-Olds to Film Porn Video With Him in Massapequa Park
• Suffolk, Nassau Counties Ranked ‘Most Expensive Place to Live in America’
• Trio Charged in Cellphone Store Sledgehammer Burglaries
• Second Arrest Made in Fatal Shooting Outside Deer Park Bar Last Year
• Former North Fork Firefighter Makes it to Daytona 500 Victory Lane
• Officials Unveil Final Design for Revitalized Hicksville Station
• February 24- Suffolk Arrest Report