WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) – A Florida sheriff’s deputy has pleaded guilty once again to identity theft after withdrawing a previous guilty plea.
A U.S. Attorney’s Office news release says 42-year-old Frantz Felisma pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated identity theft and access device fraud, the same charges he previously pleaded to in March. He withdrew the plea in May. He faces up to 12 years in federal prison at his Aug. 1 sentencing.Authorities say the Palm Beach County deputy used a law enforcement database to steal personal identification information of people and sold it to another man who has since pleaded guilty. The scheme allegedly focused on people who had expensive cars and used the stolen information to obtain credit cards. Felisma’s criminal conduct caused over $150,000 in financial losses.
Felisma has been on unpaid leave since his December arrest.
