Former Philadelphia Police Inspector Danny Castro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to extort in a plea agreement on Thursday morning in a Philly courtroom.
As per the agreement, Castro is guilty of extortion and all other charges would be dismissed -- excluding count three which he has already been charged with -- lying to the FBI.
The ex-inspector was accused of reaching out to debt collectors to recover $90,000 he lost in a bad investment. He unknowingly reached out to a middleman who was working for the FBI to retrieve his lost investment plus interest.
Castro released a statement Thursday afternoon to try and explain his actions:
"I am very grateful to the jury that heard my case. We proved that all of this began with a lie and a man who set out to destroy me with that lie. The truth is that I never sold my office for personal gain. Today that charge and 6 others were dismissed. Prosecutors have removed my entrapment defense. I accept responsibility for my conduct and will work every day to restore my reputation. I have lost a career that I cherished but I now begin the process of rebuilding my life."
Castro’s federal corruption trial ended last month in a split decision after a jury found him guilty of lying to the FBI and not guilty of extortion charges. Jurors were deadlocked on the eight other charges, which opened the door for a retrial.
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