Oneida County man gets lengthy prison term for arson and insurance fraud

Jeffrey Truman, Sr., 55, formerly of Oneida, New York, appeared for sentencing today in federal court in Syracuse on charges of aiding and abetting an arson, two counts of mail fraud, and one count of using fire to commit a federal felony. The charges stem from a fire that destroyed the former Oneida Casket Company Factory building in Oneida. In November 2005, Truman, along with two partners purchased the vacant factory buildings for $175,000. On November 12, 2006, five days before an insurance policy was to lapse, the buildings were destroyed by fire. Subsequently, Truman submitted an insurance claim for $4,178,500 in fire related losses. A subsequent investigation determined that the fire had been intentionally set by Truman’s son, Jeffrey Truman, Jr.