A suspected drug addict with no assets but his 2009 Chevrolet Malibu and in need of “a fix,” loaned his car out to a drug dealer in exchange for crack cocaine, authorities said.

But when Michael W. Norfleet, 49, of Millvale, Allegheny County, didn’t get his car back, he told Butler police it was stolen. He filed a similar report to his insurance company.

The state police Western Regional Auto Theft Task Force on Tuesday arrested Norfleet on a felony charge of insurance fraud and a misdemeanor charge of false reports to law enforcement authorities.

The defendant was living in Butler on Dec. 2 when he told city police that his car was taken, according to court documents, Police, in turn, entered the vehicle as stolen in the National Crime Information Center database.

On Jan. 21, the auto theft task force learned the car was found in the Pittsburgh Mills shopping plaza in Frazer Township, Allegheny County.

Authorities seized the vehicle, which appeared in good condition and showed no sign of having been stolen.

Investigators tracked down Norfleet at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare center in Pittsburgh’s Oakland section and spoke to him Feb. 28.

“Michael was honest about his addiction to crack cocaine (and) his battle with and treatment of crack cocaine,” police said of their interview with the defendant.

Norfleet admitted that the car was not stolen. Rather, documents said, he acknowledged that he loaned the vehicle out in exchange for 1.5 grams of crack.

The rental agreement was made between Norfleet and a middle man working for the defendant’s drug dealer, investigators said.

“Michael never saw the drug dealer who he loaned the car to (and) the deal was set up so not for Michael to see him,” documents said.

Norfleet said the car was supposed to be loaned for eight hours. But after a month, when he didn’t get the vehicle back, he reported it stolen to Butler police and to Nationwide Insurance. The defendant, who is free on his own recognizance, faces a preliminary hearing April 7 before District Judge Pete Shaffer in Butler.