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Read the press release here.

Former Police Sergeant Sentenced After Liquor Store Clerk Shake Down

By Joe Ward | December 8, 2016 6:07pm
 Ray M. Ramirez plead guilty to passing on police information to a liquor store owner, the FBI said.
Ray M. Ramirez plead guilty to passing on police information to a liquor store owner, the FBI said.
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Chicago Police Department

CHICAGO — A former Near West Side police sergeant has been sentenced to six months in prison for shaking down liquor store employees and improperly passing on police information, according to federal prosecutors. 

Ray M. Ramirez, 53, of the 900 block of North Wood Street, is accused of selling information from a police database to a liquor store employee, as well as shaking down store employees and taking merchandise from the store without paying, the local U.S. Attorney's office said in a press release.

Ramirez plead guilty last year to one misdemeanor count of exceeding his authorized use of a police department computer, federal officials said.

A plea agreement with federal prosecutors appears to have saved him from a felony charge of attempted extortion under color of official right, which he was charged with in 2013.

RELATED: FBI: Police Sergeant Arrested For Trying To Extort Liquor Store Worker

After originally facing 20 years on the felony charge, Ramirez will serve six months in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

In his plea agreement, Ramirez admitted to taking information from a police database and selling it to the store clerk for payments of $150 to $200, prosecutors said.

In exchange for the cash payments, Ramirez performed a criminal background check on a new store employee, as well as a license plate check and a review of police incidents that occurred near the store, prosecutors said.

He also admitted to shaking down store employees for payments of $70 to $200, and often did so while in his police uniform and while on duty, prosecutors said.

The liquor store worker told FBI that Ramirez, a sergeant in the Near West district, 1412 S. Blue Island Ave., had on several occasions taken items from the store without paying, demanded money from store employees, and offered to sell police reports and information to the worker.

Ramirez had also offered to speak to the local alderman on behalf of the worker, according to the complaint.

At the direction of the FBI, the worker requested a criminal background check on a new store employee, as well as a license plate check, in exchange for money.

The FBI worked with the Chicago Police Department's Bureau of Internal Affairs during the investigation.

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