Former Costa Mesa Cop Found Filing Fake Worker's Comp Claim

COSTA MESA, CA — A former Costa Mesa police officer was found guilty Thursday of filing a phony workers' compensation claim with the city.

Ryan Patrick Natividad, 31, of Corona, was convicted of misdemeanor count of making a false insurance claim and making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation. Natividad, who is scheduled to be sentenced April 7, faces up to six years in jail.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Margaret Anderson rejected Deputy District Attorney Noor Hasan's request to have the defendant taken into custody immediately.

Hasan argued that "it was pretty clear he committed perjury" in his testimony during the trial.

A video played for jurors appeared to contradict Natividad's testimony about how he was injured on the job.

"I don't think there was anything inconsistent with his testimony," defense attorney Michael Goldfeder countered. "He got injured in the scope of his employ."

On Sept. 23, 2014, Natividad reported a work-related injury, claiming that he had slammed his fist against a wall earlier that day while trying to prevent a suspect from stumbling into the wall as he was being taken from a patrol car to jail, according to Hasan.

An internal investigation from the city produced evidence that contradicted his account of how and when the injury happened, Hasan said.

City News Service, Shutterstock Photo