SAN DIEGO
A police officer pleaded not guilty to federal charges of using his position to pass information about an investigation to drug suspects.
San Diego police Officer Juan Hurtado Tapia, 38, was arraigned Wednesday in U.S. District Court on charges of obstruction, fraud and making false statements.
A federal complaint alleges he used a police computer to run criminal history checks for suspects in a drug-trafficking ring, and in at least one case warned a suspect not to cross the border into Mexico.
Agents questioned Tapia in July, and he denied warning one of the suspects, the complaint states.
In wiretapped phone conversations in May, investigators heard two men discuss information they received from a police officer they referred to as "Corrupto," the complaint alleges.
Federal authorities said they later identified the officer as Tapia, who remains in federal custody.
FBI agents also arrested four suspects on drug-trafficking charges.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080904-9999-1m4federal.html
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