Louisiana attorney, staged accident scammer, finally sentenced

Danny Keating, a Louisiana attorney and one of the masterminds behind the staged accident scam, received a 32-month prison sentence on Thursday. This will be followed by three years of supervised release and a $657,405.34 restitution payment. Keating was one of the most significant participants in the scheme known as "Operation Sideswipe," which involved staged collisions in the New Orleans area between cars carrying participants and other vehicles, typically tractor trailers.

Keating pleaded guilty in June 2021, becoming the only attorney involved in the case to do so. He has been cooperating with prosecutors since then and played a key role in the conviction of fellow attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles, who were sentenced in March. Keating did not testify in the recent murder case of Cornelius Garrison, who was also involved in the scheme and cooperating with federal prosecutors.

Keating's attorney had requested probation, citing his cooperation and poor health, but the judge sentenced him to more than the two years prosecutors had sought. Keating's sentence is less than the federal guidelines of 57 to 60 months.