The Ventura County District Attorney’s office announced that former Ventura County firefighter, 34 year old Perry Adam Lieber, of Santa Barbara, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 24 months of felony probation after pleading guilty to felony workers’ compensation fraud in violation of Insurance Code section 1871.4(a).

Lieber admitted as part of his guilty plea, that he made false material statements for the purpose of obtaining disability and other benefits to which he was not entitled during a prior workers’ compensation claim with the Ventura County Fire Department. Victim agencies York Risk Services and the County of Ventura sustained losses in excess of $186,082.

Chief Mark Lorenzen of the Ventura County Fire Department said Lieber resigned from the agency last March. According to a report in the Ventura County Star at the time of his arrest, the Chief said the department was not surprised by the charges the DA’s office has brought against Mr. Lieber. “We were aware of a number of irregularities during the last portion of his career. We brought those to the attention of the county risk management unit.”

In addition to the jail sentence, Lieber was immediately ordered to pay $100,000 in victim restitution and $30,000 in fines.

The court also ordered multiple financial accounts controlled by Lieber that were previously frozen by the court be liquidated to satisfy its order.

A hearing relating to additional restitution still owed to the victim agencies is scheduled for March 4, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 26 of the Ventura County Superior Court.