A federal judge sentenced a former police officer to federal prison time. He must also pay nearly a million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

District Judge Mary S. Scriven sentenced Dana Brown, 37, of Ocala, to 6 years and 5 months in federal prison for conspiracy to make false claims, aggravated identity theft, and exceeding authorized access to a protected computer with intent to defraud.

The court also ordered Brown to pay $874,319.35 in restitution. Brown pled guilty on December 20, 2011.

According to court documents, in 2010 and 2011, Brown was a patrol officer for the Ocala Police Department.  As part of his employment as a law enforcement officer, Brown had access to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Driver and Vehicle Information Database (“DAVID”).  DAVID allows law enforcement officers to retrieve driver and vehicle information for official law enforcement purposes.

Brown was acquainted with Riad Sulaiman, owner of Empire Street Wear, a clothing store located in Tampa.  Brown was aware that Sulaiman was in possession of fraudulently obtained U. S. Treasury tax refund checks in the names of various individuals.

Sulaiman elicited the help of Brown, because of his access to the data base, to gain access to personal identifying information.

Brown knowingly and willingly entered into an agreement with Sulaiman and supplied personal identifying information of Florida Driver License holders for the purpose of negotiating the fraudulently obtained Treasury checks.

Brown was to be paid 5% of the face value of each Treasury check. Brown was arrested in October 2011.

The case was part of Operation Rainmaker investigation.