A longtime counselor with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail for workers’ compensation fraud and related criminal charges.
Hosea Morgan, 55, of Vacaville, worked at San Quentin State Prison. He told doctors starting in 2009 of pain in several parts of his body that kept him from walking, sitting and sleeping. Morgan told doctors that 24 years of altercations and fights with inmates had left him disabled. He received more than $50,000 for his workers’ compensation and medical claims, according to testimony during his September jury trial.
Jurors in the trial watched hours of video surveillance footage of Morgan playing basketball, moving appliances, working out at a local health club and coaching basketball. Morgan was also shown performing in the play “Misery Loves Company” at the Fairfield Center for Creative Arts.
Morgan is set to be back in court in January to determine how much he will be ordered to repay the state during his five years of formal probation that follow his jail time.