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10 Baltimore Officers Indicted In Extortion Scheme

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A federal grand jury has indicted 10 Baltimore police officers accused of taking kickbacks for diverting drivers at accident scenes to an unauthorized towing company and repair shop.

The shop owner and his brother, an employee of the shop, were also indicted Wednesday. The 12 men are charged with conspiring to commit extortion. Prosecutors allege that the shop paid officers to arrange for their company to tow vehicles from accident scenes.

They are supposed to allow the owner to arrange for a tow or use police communication channels to contact only an authorized towing company.

Prosecutors say seven other officers previously alleged to have participated in the scheme remain charged and the investigation continues into any additional co-conspirators. The police department has suspended a total of 31 officers.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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