(This update adds information provided in a statement by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana and local news reports). Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles were found guilty Friday of numerous charges related to the Louisiana staged accident scam, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. According to news reports from local Louisiana media, the jury deliberated about six hours Friday after closing arguments wrapped up at the end of the day Thursday. The case was heard in the U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana. The news reports also said the pair were remanded to federal custody after the verdicts were read. Local news reporting painted a picture of post-verdict chaos. Motta was found guilty to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Mail fraud and wire fraud have been the charges that other persons indicted in the case have been charged with and which more than four dozen copped a plea to, avoiding a trial. Giles was convicted of similar charges as Motta, as was his employer, the King Firm. The Motta/Giles trial was the only one so far in the scam. Every other indictment is either unresolved (a dwindling number) or is one of more than four dozen guilty pleas. The U.S. Attorney said the total number of individuals charged in Operation Sideswipe is 63. Their co-conspirator Daiminike Stalbert, was acquitted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. However, he was…
