Officer Pleads Guilty In Towing Extortion Scheme

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Officials say another Baltimore city police officer has pleaded guilty to taking money to divert drivers at accident scenes to an unauthorized towing company and repair shop.

Prosecutors and the FBI say Officer Rafael Feliciano Jr., pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges in connection with a scheme involving brothers Edwin Mejia and Hernan Alexis Moreno Mejia, who owned Majestic Auto Repair Shop in Baltimore County.

Court documents say the brothers agreed with an officer in 2008 that he would contact them when he was on the scene of a crash and be paid $150 for each vehicle. The amount was later raised to $300 per vehicle and the officer recruited other officers.

Officials say Feliciano is the 12th officer to plead guilty on charges related to the scheme.

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