A former Florida state trooper is going to jail after admitting he wrote numerous fake traffic tickets.
Paul C. Lawrence, 38, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a Miami courtroom to eight counts of falsifying records. Under a plea deal, he will serve 364 days in jail, pay restitution to victims and agree not to become a law enforcement officer again.
Lawrence was a 12-year veteran of the Florida Highway Patrol based in Miami-Dade County.
He was arrested earlier this year after motorists began complaining they were cited for offenses they knew nothing about. Many of the victims weren't even in the country when the alleged traffic violations took place.
Lawrence used information from old traffic stops to make the fake records, which prosecutors believe, helped boost his numbers and his reputation in the eyes of his bosses.
More than 200 traffic tickets issued by Lawrence were dismissed as a result.
