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Fmr. Customs Agent Pleads Guilty To Groping Women

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer has pleaded guilty to sexually groping three women at Miami International Airport.

During the plea proceedings on Tuesday, Pablo Morales, 47, admitted that on various dates in January 2011, while working as a Customs and Border Protection agent at Miami International Airport he groped the breasts of three separate women without their consent.

Miami U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said in a statement that Morales "misused his office and his power" and violated the civil rights of the victims.

A six-count indictment charged Morales with three felony counts of abusive sexual contact and three misdemeanor counts of deprivation of civil rights.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 26 in Ft. Lauderdale. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of up to $300,000.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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