The Orange County Register reports that a Fullerton tree-trimming business owner who filed workers’ compensation insurance claims for one worker killed in a wood chipper and a second seriously injured in an on-the-job vehicle accident–despite never having paid premiums for the employees–was sent to prison for five years.

Jose Luis Guerrero, the 45-year-old owner of Jose Martinez Tree Service Inc., had pleaded guilty to under-reporting more than $2 million in payroll to the State Compensation Insurance Fund between March 2005 and March 2009.

It was a review of the Nov. 7, 2007, wood-chipper death of Gabriel Gonzalez by State Compensation Insurance Fund officials that uncovered the widespread fraud, according to Deputy District Attorney Debbie Jackson. For four years beginning in March 2005, Guerrero under-reported his payroll to the state insurance fund by more than $2 million so he would have to pay less in workers’ compensation insurance premiums, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, which also accused him of illegally paying some of his employees in cash.

Guerrero pleaded guilty Dec. 20 to 20 counts of intent to evade taxes, four counts of false or fraudulent statements to reduce premiums, and two counts of making fraudulent statements to obtain or deny compensation, all felonies.

He also admitted to sentencing-enhancement allegations for aggravated white collar crime between $100,000 to $500,000 and theft exceeding $150,000, and also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of an assault weapon.