Palm Beach Deputy Indicted in ID Theft Scheme

A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy is behind bars, charged in a federal identity theft scheme that exploited his badge and access to sensitive law enforcement databases. Carlos Felisma, 42, of Boynton Beach, was arraigned Monday on a six-count indictment accusing him of selling personal data stolen from at least 15 victims—all while serving as a sworn peace officer.

Felisma allegedly used his department-issued laptop to pull confidential identification records from a secure law enforcement database over an 18-month span. As detailed in the indictment, he funneled the stolen information to a co-conspirator who then opened fraudulent credit card and bank accounts in the victims’ names, siphoning off tens of thousands of dollars. The breach struck at the heart of public trust—leveraging police authority for criminal profit.

The charges against Felisma include conspiracy to commit identity theft (Count 1), access device fraud (Count 2), and four counts of aggravated identity theft (Counts 3 through 6), each carrying severe penalties. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for each aggravated identity theft count—time that must be served consecutively. The access device fraud charge carries up to ten years, while the conspiracy count brings a maximum of five years.

Felisma was initially arrested on a criminal complaint and ordered held without bond by Magistrate Judge James M. Hopkins. He is currently on administrative leave without pay from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, stripped of his duties as investigations continue. Authorities say this case exemplifies how insider access can be weaponized from within the system it’s meant to protect.

The investigation was a joint effort led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), the Lantana Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer praised the collaboration, calling it a necessary strike against corruption in public office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Jorgensen and Rinku Tribuiani are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is not a conviction—Felisma is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. Related documents are available through the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office website and the federal court’s PACER system. The case, filed as No. 17-80008-CR-MIDDLEBROOKS, continues to unfold under intense scrutiny.