A well known Philadelphia Police inspector was arrested on federal corruption charges involving an extortion and bribery scheme, officials told NBC Philadelphia.
Sources confirmed that the police inspector is 47-year-old Carlo Daniel (Dan) Castro, the head of the Philadelphia Police Traffic Division.
According to the indictment, Castro allegedly invested $90,000 in real estate and when it failed to yield any financial result, he asked another man to help him get his money back, plus another $60,000 in "interest."
That other man -- who was a government witness -- found a "collector" that Castro could hire to get his money, without compromising his reputation.
"I can't get myself in trouble I want to be Police Commissioner," Castro told the witness at one point, according to the indictment.
When Castro, a 25 year veteran of the force, was told the collector would have to get "rough" with the investor, he said, "Get, get my money...They know how to get it, they get it. . .They know what they're doing. Just get, just get, i need to have my money. That's all I care about. . .I've waited too long."
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told the top brass of the federal indictment against Castro early Friday morning so they would know before work spread, sources say.
Ramsey later in the day told the press that he plans on firing Castro within 30 days.
"His badge will be taken and will not be reissued to anyone in this department," Ramsey said. "It will be destroyed along with the others who have dishonored this department."
Castro was in trouble in 1999 when he was caught pressuring subordinates to alter incident reports so his West Philly district would seem safer, reports the Inquirer.
The Philadelphia Police Department has been overwhelmed with in-house arrests in the past year. Other cases have included two officers who allegedly robbed a supposed drug dealer of 20 pounds of marijuana and $3,000 cash, and a longtime officer who allegedly stole $825 from a bar where a fellow officer was slain four years ago.
Castro was out on bail Friday night but declined comment on his arrest.
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