NEW YORK, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- A subway sting being used by police in New York has come under fire after a local photographer was allegedly arrested for being a good Samaritan.

Freelance photographer Carlos Alayo alleged that when he spotted an abandoned wallet on a New York subway recently, he intended on returning the item to its true owner. Instead he was arrested as part of the new police sting, Operation Lucky Bag, the New York Daily News reported Wednesday.

Alayo said that when he became ensnared in the police sting last Wednesday, he felt as though police were discriminating against him due to his heritage.

"I've been in this country 17 years and not felt discriminated against until that day," the Peruvian immigrant said.

Operation Lucky Bag typically involves police leaving unattended wallets, purses or bags on local subways to see how others will react.

Police later released Alayo after he was found to have no criminal past, but others arrested as part of the sting could face a maximum of four years in prison if convicted of theft.