Former Dothan police officer charged with identity thefts

DOTHAN, Ala. (AP) — A former Dothan police officer is charged with stealing the identities of military service members that he served with before joining the police force.

The Dothan Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/1DgygIK ) 28-year-old Charles Thomas Simmer faces a total of 20 felony charges — including 15 counts of identity theft. He was first arrested in March and new charges were added over the weekend after two new victims came forward.

Dothan police investigator Erik Broten says Simmer used information on people he served with in the military to open credit card accounts. Broten says that Simmer initially claimed to be a victim of identity theft himself.

Simmer resigned after serving less than a year as a Dothan police officer. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney.

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Information from: The Dothan Eagle, http://www.dothaneagle.com