Raymond Roth, center, is escorted by law enforcement officers to the Long Island State Park Police Headquarters, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 in Babylon, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
The Massapequa man accused of faking his death to try and cash in on his life insurance policies has been arrested again—this time for violating an order of protection.
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Nassau County police said Raymond Roth was in Long Beach when he called his wife, Evana, in violation of a Family Court judge’s order that he not contact her.
The 47-year-old suspect pleaded not guilty Thursday on a charge of criminal contempt.
He had pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy in and falsely reporting an incident in the alleged plot.
“Evana, you know who this is,” he allegedly told Evana the third time he called hours after being released on the original charges. She did not pick up the first two times he called.
Roth’s son, Jonathan, pleaded not guilty to the same three charges last week for allegedly helping his father. He is free on bail.
Jonathan had reported his father missing July 28 after Raymond went swimming off Jones Beach, sparking a four-day search that cost local, state and federal authorities more than $30,000, prosecutors said.
The elder Roth later turned up in Florida. He then drove back to Long Island, where he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital before surrendering to authorities this week. His attorney told reporters that Roth is being treated for bipolar disorder and was on medication that made him act irrationally.
Prosecutors said Roth’s handgun was confiscated and pistol license was suspended after he threatened his boss when he was demoted at the telecommunications company where he worked. He was later fired.
Roth’s wife released to police and reporters emails between her husband and his son that she said detailed the fake-death plot. She also said her husband cleaned out her bank accounts and put their house up for sale days before the disappearance.
She has since filed for divorce.
Roth’s son has alleged his father abused him and coerced him into helping in the plot. The elder Roth’s attorney countered that his client’s son tried to cash in the $410,000 in life insurance policies without his father’s knowledge.
-With Associated Press
