SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A California police officer who served in the Marines in Iraq has been charged with giving confidential police records to a reputed motorcycle gang member.
Clay Rojas, who has been a member of the Santa Clara Police Department for five years, was named in a federal indictment unsealed Monday, the San Jose Mercury News reported. Charged with him were William Bettencourt, allegedly a member of the Hell's Angels in Santa Cruz and Viviana Rodriguez, who allegedly enlisted Bettencourt to get the information.
Rojas also faces state charges, although the potential federal sentence is much longer -- as much as 20 years if he is convicted of honest services fraud.
Investigators say Bettencourt gave Rojas money, saying it was a loan. He then allegedly offered him easier terms in return for confidential information, including records from police and the state Division of Motor Vehicles.
Rojas was arrested last week and spent the weekend in jail pending a detention hearing Wednesday.
