Badge Betrayal: Palm Beach Deputy Accused of Identity Theft

BOYNTON BEACH, FL – A sworn officer of the law is now accused of breaking it. Frantz Felisma, 42, of Boynton Beach, a deputy with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested yesterday, accused of running a sophisticated identity theft scheme. The betrayal of public trust is staggering, authorities say, as Felisma allegedly exploited his position and access to sensitive databases for personal gain.

The announcement came jointly from U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer, ICE-HSI Special Agent in Charge Mark Selby, Lantana Police Chief Sean Scheller, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson, and Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. The coordinated investigation points to a deliberate and calculated effort to defraud numerous victims.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Felisma allegedly used his police-issued laptop to repeatedly access law enforcement databases over an 18-month period. He didn’t seek justice; he sought personal identification information – names, dates of birth, addresses – belonging to unsuspecting individuals. This data wasn’t collected for investigative purposes, but to be sold to a co-conspirator, investigators claim.

That co-conspirator, whose identity has not yet been released, then allegedly used the stolen identities to open fraudulent credit card and bank accounts. The scheme netted tens of thousands of dollars, all in the names of the victims whose lives Felisma swore to protect. At least 15 victims have been identified thus far, but authorities believe the number could be significantly higher.

Felisma made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman. A pre-trial detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 10 a.m. If convicted, Felisma faces a mandatory minimum of two years’ imprisonment, to run consecutively to any other sentence, on the aggravated identity theft charge. He also faces a maximum of ten years for access device fraud, and five years each for accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud and conspiracy to commit identity theft.

Ferrer commended the work of ICE-HSI, the Lantana Police Department, IRS-CI, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Jorgensen and Rinku Tribuiani. It’s a stark reminder that corruption can infiltrate even the most trusted institutions. Remember, a criminal complaint is just an accusation, and Felisma is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Court documents can be found at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.