Deputy to judge: I stole for the children

He used police computer for ID thefts

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputy Frantz Felisma admitted in federal court Thursday he used his access to law enforcement databases to steal the identity of dozens of people.

But he told a federal judge he did it not to enrich himself — but to help the children of Palm Beach County.

Felisma, 43, pleaded guilty to federal identity theft and fraud charges, but he said he never received any money for his role in the scheme. He said he intended to use the proceeds to send high school students to college and help them get soccer training in Brazil.

“That was my plan to stop crime in Palm Beach County,” he told U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks.

Felisma pleaded guilty to those charges in March. He later withdrew his plea and claimed he was not guilty. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, up to 12 years and about $135,000 in restitution when he is sentenced Aug. 1. He remains in jail.

Felisma, a community volunteer and athletics coach, was named deputy of the year for the Delray Beach region just days before he was arrested in December.

Federal court records don’t show any of the stolen money going to help high school students further their education. But investigators allege Felisma gave information to his partner in the scheme, Kesner Joaseus, who fraudulently opened credit card and banking accounts.

Joaseus, who pleaded guilty to his role and was sentenced to 11 years in prison on those and other fraud charges, used cash advances from those accounts to make down payments on two luxury cars, according to court documents.

Regardless of motive, identity theft is a crime, said Lauren Jorgensen, assistant U.S. attorney.

Prosecutors allege Joaseus, 47, paid the deputy to steal dozens of identities between January 2013 and September 2014, according to court records. Joaseus said he targeted people who drove “high-end cars” and wrote down their license plate numbers, which he gave to Felisma.

Felisma would then look up the driver’s personal information, write it on the piece of paper and return it to Joaseus, prosecutors alleged. Investigators said they found more than 50 pieces of paper that included both men’s handwriting during searches of their homes.

Felisma admitted he always drove his marked patrol car to the meetings “and would sometimes run the tags on a computer inside” the vehicle, while the other man waited. Prosecutors said the men exchanged more than 200 text message arranging meetings.

Felisma was placed on paid leave after his Dec. 21 arrest and has been on unpaid leave since Jan. 6, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.