Former correctional officer pleads guilty to wire fraud, ID theft

Harold Walbey, 46, faces 20 years in federal prison

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A former correctional officer at the John E. Goode Pretrial Detention Facility has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft.

The Department of Justice said court documents showed that from sometime in 2010 through May 2012, Harold B. Walbey, 46, stole personal identifying information from inmates who were housed at the facility, maintaining a notebook that had 49 names, Social Security numbers and dates of births of prisoners.

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Walbey then used the inmates' stolen information to create fraudulent debit card accounts and W-2 forms, the DOJ said.

Walbey filed fraudulent tax returns under 38 different prisoners' names, claiming more than $250,000 in refunds.

While his hearing has not yet been scheduled, Walbey faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.