No Compelling Reason to Release Convicted Arsonist and Murderer
Barry Zalma
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A person with no compassion for his many victims, with an expression that defines chutzpah, sought compassionate release from his 110 year sentence in United States Of America v. John T Veysey III, No. 99 CR 00381-1, United States District Court, N.D. Illinois, Eastern Division (March 2, 2023). John T. Veysey III, while currently serving a 110-year sentence for wire fraud, arson, and felony by fire, moved the USDC for compassionate release because he was fat, had high blood pressure and was afraid of the Covid pandemic.
BACKGROUND
Throughout the 1990s, Veysey devised various deadly schemes to cause losses and collect insurance proceeds. Among other offenses, Veysey fraudulently obtained $959,849.47 in insurance proceeds from a car “accident” involving his first wife, from the death of his first wife, and from arson-for-profit fires to three of his residences. He tried to obtain an additional $1.3 million in insurance proceeds by attempting to kill his second wife and then-infant son in a house fire, and he schemed to fake the deaths of another woman and her sons.
On March 6, 2001, following a six-week trial, a jury found Veysey guilty on 18 counts. Consistent with the then-binding Sentencing Guidelines, the USDC sentenced Veysey to the statutory maximum of 110 years’ imprisonment.
Veysey argued that several factors justify a sentence reduction, including his health conditions, ongoing risks associated with COVID-19 in the federal prison system, alleged sentencing disparities between him and other offenders, his purported rehabilitation, and his preparations for reintegrating into the community. On July 6, 2022, Veysey submitted an updated motion in which he discusses COVID-19 risks, his ongoing health concerns, and his recidivism risk level.
DISCUSSION
As a general matter, a federal court may not modify a term of imprisonment once it has been imposed. The court may reduce a sentence if “extraordinary and compelling reasons” justify release.
Extraordinary and Compelling Reason
The kind of extraordinary and compelling circumstances contemplated by the statute include some new fact about an inmate’s health or family status, or an equivalent post-conviction development, not a purely legal contention for which statutes specify other avenues of relief. Legal arguments that an initial sentence was made in error do not qualify.
Veysey first points to his health conditions-including hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and obesity-as circumstances justifying a sentence reduction. Veysey may not use a motion for compassionate release to argue that the court’s original sentencing decision was incorrect.
In addition, Veysey offered evidence of his rehabilitation while in prison. But rehabilitation alone is not an extraordinary and compelling reason for release, nor can rehabilitation render otherwise ordinary circumstances extraordinary.
Also, the fact that Veysey has now spent several years in prison and has made efforts to prepare for life outside of prison does not qualify as an extraordinary and compelling reason that could justify his release.
Even if Mr. Veysey were to present an extraordinary and compelling reason for compassionate release, the court would still deny his motion under the § 3553(a) factors. “Consideration of even one § 3553(a) factor may show that the others do not matter.”
The first § 3553(a) factor, which addresses the “nature and circumstances” of a defendant’s offenses and personal circumstances, strongly militates against a sentence reduction. His crimes were shocking:
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Veysey killed his first wife,
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tried to kill his second wife and then-toddler son,
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torched multiple houses, and
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purchased life insurance coverage on another woman shortly before he was arrested-all to collect insurance money.
Veysey carried out these extraordinarily serious offenses over several years, destroyed numerous lives, and caused enormous emotional and physical pain and monetary damage.
Even if Veysey had presented the court with an extraordinary and compelling reason for his release, consideration of § 3553(a)(1) alone would provide a sufficient basis for denying his motion.
ZALMA OPINION
Veysey is proof that insurance fraud is a violent crime. He managed to murder and commit arson-for-profit and insurance fraud for years before he was arrested, tried, convicted and jailed for 110 years. Like the person who murdered his parents and sought empathy because he was an orphan, Veysey defined the Yiddish term “chutzah” by asking to be released because, in prison he became obese, had high blood pressure and AFIB. The USDC, wisely, refused his request since his condition was neither extraordinary nor compelling reasons for release but the opposite, a compelling reason existed to keep him in prison forever.
(c) 2023 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders. He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 54 years in the insurance business. He is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected]
Write to Mr. Zalma at [email protected]; http://www.zalma.com; http://zalma.com/blog; daily articles are published at https://zalma.substack.com. Go to the podcast Zalma On Insurance at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma; Follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/c/c-262921; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library.
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Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected]
Chutzpah: After Criminal Prosecution Defendant Sues USA
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Dr. Segun Patrick Adeoye, a medical doctor, filed a lawsuit against the United States of America, seeking damages for alleged violations during his criminal prosecution. He was acquitted by a jury but claims to have suffered significant harm, including financial losses, damage to his professional reputation, and personal distress.
In Dr. Segun Patrick Adeoye v. The United States Of America, Civil Action No. 4:25-cv-83, United States District Court, E.D. Texas, Sherman Division (July 23, 2025) the USDC dismissed Adeoye’s suit.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Dr. Adeoye was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleged that he and his co-conspirators obtained at least seventeen million dollars through various fraudulent schemes. Despite being acquitted, Dr. Adeoye claims that his ...
Payment of Appraisal Award Defeats Claim of Bad Faith
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Hurricane Damage to Dwelling Established by Appraisal Award
In Homeowners Of America Insurance Company v. Emilio Menchaca, No. 01-23-00633-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (July 31, 2025) after a hurricane Homeowners of America Insurance Company (“HAIC”) estimated that the cost of covered repair to Menchaca’s house was $3,688.54, which was less than his deductible, and therefore no payment would be made.
FACTS
After Menchaca retained counsel HAIC advised that, under the terms of the policy, Menchaca was required to first invoke the appraisal process prior to filing suit, and that HAIC reserved the right to request that Menchaca and any adjuster hired on his behalf submit to an Examination Under Oath (“EUO”).
On August 23, 2018, Menchaca’s counsel ...
Payment of Appraisal Award Defeats Claim of Bad Faith
Post 5163
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dNpKKcYx, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/dNgwRP8q and at https://lnkd.in/dA9dvd-D, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.
Hurricane Damage to Dwelling Established by Appraisal Award
In Homeowners Of America Insurance Company v. Emilio Menchaca, No. 01-23-00633-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (July 31, 2025) after a hurricane Homeowners of America Insurance Company (“HAIC”) estimated that the cost of covered repair to Menchaca’s house was $3,688.54, which was less than his deductible, and therefore no payment would be made.
FACTS
After Menchaca retained counsel HAIC advised that, under the terms of the policy, Menchaca was required to first invoke the appraisal process prior to filing suit, and that HAIC reserved the right to request that Menchaca and any adjuster hired on his behalf submit to an Examination Under Oath (“EUO”).
On August 23, 2018, Menchaca’s counsel ...
Rulings on Motions Reduced the Issues to be Presented at Trial
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CASE OVERVIEW
In Richard Bernier v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, No. 4:24-cv-00002-GMS, USDC, D. Alaska (May 28, 2025) Richard Bernier made claim under the underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage provided in his State Farm policy, was not satisfied with State Farm's offer and sued. Both parties tried to win by filing motions for summary judgment.
FACTS
Bernier was involved in an auto accident on November 18, 2020, and sought the maximum available UIM coverage under his policy, which was $50,000. State Farm initially offered him $31,342.36, which did not include prejudgment interest or attorney fees.
Prior to trial Bernier had three remaining claims against State Farm:
1. negligent and reckless claims handling;
2. violation of covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and
3. award of punitive damages.
Both Bernier and State Farm dispositive motions before ...
ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 10
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional
See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gK_P4-BK and at https://lnkd.in/g2Q7BHBu, and at https://zalma.com/blog and at https://lnkd.in/gjyMWHff.
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ You can read the full issue of the May 15, 2025 issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ZIFL-05-15-2025.pdf
This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:
Health Care Fraud Trial Results in Murder for Hire of Witness
To Avoid Conviction for Insurance Fraud Defendants Murder Witness
In United States of America v. Louis Age, Jr.; Stanton Guillory; Louis Age, III; Ronald Wilson, Jr., No. 22-30656, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (April 25, 2025) the Fifth Circuit dealt with the ...
Professional Health Care Services Exclusion Effective
Post 5073
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This opinion is the recommendation of a Magistrate Judge to the District Court Judge and involves Travelers Casualty Insurance Company and its duty to defend the New Mexico Bone and Joint Institute (NMBJI) and its physicians in a medical negligence lawsuit brought by Tervon Dorsey.
In Travelers Casualty Insurance Company Of America v. New Mexico Bone And Joint Institute, P.C.; American Foundation Of Lower Extremity Surgery And Research, Inc., a New Mexico Corporation; Riley Rampton, DPM; Loren K. Spencer, DPM; Tervon Dorsey, individually; Kimberly Dorsey, individually; and Kate Ferlic as Guardian Ad Litem for K.D. and J.D., minors, No. 2:24-cv-0027 MV/DLM, United States District Court, D. New Mexico (May 8, 2025) the Magistrate Judge Recommended:
Insurance Coverage Dispute:
Travelers issued a Commercial General Liability ...
