High-ranking Phila. cop indicted

A high-ranking Philadelphia police officer has been arrested on corruption charges. Federal prosecutors announced the indictment of the head of the department’s traffic division Friday. The charges are the first to be filed by a newly formed corruption task force.

By all accounts, Inspector Carlos Castro was a rising star who aspired to be police commissioner. But now, he is behind bars facing a possible 80 year prison term if convicted on bribery and extortion charges.Castro is accused of hiring his own personal repo man to collect on a debt by using violence and intimidation.Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says such a high-ranking officer has not been indicted since the early 1980’s.”And I hope this serves as an example. It doesn’t matter what rank they are. If they are corrupt and if they are engaged in corrupt activities we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”Ramsey says Castro will be suspended for 30 days pending dismissal.The department has beefed up it’s corruption fighting capacity within the last month and a half, adding 38 additional officers to investigate their colleagues.