Farmington Woman Faces 18 Felony Counts, Multiple Insurance Fraud Allegations

Brittany Lanier formerly Brittany Cole, 31, of Farmington, was named in new criminal charges filed November 15 2025 that bring her total to 18 felony counts across eight separate cases. Court records allege a second false insurance claim for about twenty thousand dollars tied to an apartment fire possession of a controlled substance identified as methamphetamine and forgery related to a purportedly falsified drug test document.

Investigators reported that Lanier opened an insurance policy in mid August 2025 and later filed a claim for an apartment fire that allegedly occurred before the policy was in force. Documentation from the National Insurance Crime Bureau indicates the policy was initiated on August 9 and a fire was reported the same day. Court filings also reference earlier claims that investigators say totaled more than twenty one thousand dollars including a claim for a stolen laptop and a separate Aztec apartment fire claim. In a separate alleged forgery incident court documents say Lanier provided a former attorney with paperwork that was represented as a negative drug test. The clinic named on the paperwork reported it did not administer such a test and suspected the document had been altered.

Lanier was arrested on November 8 on outstanding warrants. Officers allege they found a small rock like substance at the time of arrest that the officer believed to be methamphetamine. Hearings are scheduled in Farmington Magistrate Court with a first appearance on the false claim case set for November 18 and a hearing on the drug and forgery charges set for November 20. Court records indicate she did not have counsel as of the reporting date.

The involvement of the National Insurance Crime Bureau in documentation of the claims highlights insurance fraud as a concern for local consumers and property owners. In practical terms alleged fraud on claims related to apartment fires can affect landlords tenants insurers and the small businesses that serve this region by increasing investigative costs and contributing to pressure on premiums. For renters and property owners the case underscores the importance of clear records about policy effective dates and proof of loss.

The possession and alleged forgery allegations raise public health and access to services questions in San Juan County. Methamphetamine remains a local and national public health challenge and criminal cases often surface gaps in treatment access legal representation and community support. The fact that the defendant did not have counsel at the time of reporting points to broader issues of legal access and capacity in local courts.

This reporting was republished November 15 2025 via InsuranceNewsNet from the Farmington Daily Times. Upcoming court dates will determine whether the charges advance to trial and how the county will address both the criminal and community implications of these allegations.