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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ A former insurance claims adjuster for a San Diego firm was sentenced to six years in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in fines Monday for his role in a million-dollar check fraud scheme.

Edward Colon, 38, of Trenton, pleaded guilty in October to mail fraud and conspiracy. He admitted conspiring with Cesar Fuentes, 41, of Princeton, to cheat two insurance businesses by entering false claims.

U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie said Colon used his position with Ward North America, a San Diego-based insurance adjuster, to submit fake claims and have fraudulent checks drawn on WNA's account, which was funded by another insurer, Alternative Risk Transfer Insurance Strategies.

Colon admitted having checks mailed to him and Fuentes at his former business, River City Cafe in Trenton, and to his homes in Trenton and Mercerville, and Fuentes' home in Princeton and former home in West Trenton.

The scheme, which ran for two years, from July 2000 to July 2002, cost Alternative Risk more than $900,000, authorities said.

U.S District Court Judge Garrett E. Brown Jr. denied a sentence reduction for accepting responsibility, a step judges generally take for defendants who plead guilty. Brown found that Colon had sold property he had agreed to forfeit to the government to make restitution to victims.

Colon was remanded to federal custody to begin serving his sentence, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Guadagno said in a statement.

Fuentes began serving a 36-month federal prison term for his role in the scheme last July.