Sweetwater Police Detective Arrested for Credit Card Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce the arrest of William Garcia, a detective with the Sweetwater Police Department, for alleged use of a counterfeit access device and aggravated identity theft.

The complaint charges Garcia with a single count of use of a counterfeit access device, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(1), and a single count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1). If convicted, Garcia faces a possible maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment as to the counterfeit access device violation, and a two-year mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment as to the aggravated identity theft violation.

According to the facts alleged in the complaint, Garcia participated in a counterfeit credit card scheme in late 2010 through 2011. Garcia’s criminal activities included providing his own credit card for use in manufacturing fraudulent credit cards, hiding evidence when he learned a co-conspirator had been arrested, and ultimately possessing and using counterfeit cards that Garcia claimed had been seized during the course of his duties.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI-led Miami Area Corruption Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony LaCosta.

A complaint is only an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.