Ex-Hialeah Cop Pleads Guilty In Identity Theft Scam

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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - A former Hialeah police officer accused of using a confidential driver's license data base to access personal information in an identity theft scheme has pleaded guilty to corruption charges.

Raul Castellon, 38, admitted in court documents using Florida's Driver and Vehicle Information Database in 2016 to access identities of at least 25 people. Those identities were passed to co-conspirators who used them to buy goods with credit cards that were later sold for cash.

The documents show that in return Castellon received gifts such as clothes, shoes and an Apple iPad.

Castellon had a history of problems while he was with the Hialeah police department.

Thursday in court, Castellon pleaded guilty to federal charges including extortion using his official police powers, aggravated identity theft and access device fraud conspiracy. He faces a maximum of 37 years in prison at sentencing in July.