Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy Frantz Felisma has been sentenced to five years in prison for his role in an identity theft scheme.
During the Tuesday hearing, which was attended by about 30 family members and friends, Felisma was also ordered to pay $175,000 in restitution.
Felisma pleaded guilty in June to charges of credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Federal prosecutors say he used his access to law enforcement databases to get personal information about the owners of Jaguars, Mercedes, Bentleys and other expensive cars.
Felisma, who was named Deputy of the Year 2016 for the Delray Beach district, gave the information to convicted swindler Kesner Joaseus. Joaseus used it to get credit cards in the car owners’ names, prosecutors say.
Since he was jailed in December, Felisma has been on administrative leave without pay from his seven-year job as a sheriff’s deputy.