Frenel Cenat, a former officer with the Metropolis of Miami Police Division (MPD), was sentenced final week to 135 months in jail, adopted by 5 years of supervised launch. Cenat beforehand pleaded responsible to fees of tried Hobbs Act extortion underneath coloration of official proper and tried possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The fees stem from Cenat’s misuse of his police place, MPD-issued automobile, and tools to conduct unlawful site visitors stops geared toward stealing what he believed have been drug proceeds and 7 kilograms of cocaine from drivers.
MPD Chief Manny Morales emphasised the significance of sustaining the division’s status, stating, “The group we’re sworn to guard should belief our capacity to police ourselves. The arrest of Mr. Cenat despatched a powerful message that I cannot tolerate any member tarnishing the model of our Miami Police Division.”
Misuse of authority
Cenat, 41, had been an MPD officer since 2008 and was utilizing an unmarked SUV offered by the division. As an officer, he was prohibited from participating in extortion or any illegal exercise utilizing his official place. Nonetheless, Cenat exploited his function to conduct unlawful site visitors stops.
A confidential human supply (CHS) knowledgeable regulation enforcement {that a} mutual good friend had disclosed Cenat’s previous actions of stopping people identified to be concerned in drug transactions to steal medicine and cash. On October 16, 2023, the good friend launched Cenat to the CHS, the place they mentioned a possibility for Cenat to cease a automobile carrying roughly $50,000 in drug proceeds.
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On November 1, 2023, Cenat and the CHS deliberate a site visitors cease rip-off scheduled for November 3, 2023. Cenat requested detailed details about the driving force and the placement of the drug deal. On the deliberate date, Cenat, in his unmarked MPD automobile, carried out a staged site visitors cease of two undercover FBI workers. Cenat, wearing black tactical gear, coerced the driving force into handing over a backpack containing $52,000 in money. Cenat then met with the CHS and shared $13,000 of the stolen cash.
Cenat continued to hunt related alternatives, asking the CHS on November 7, 2023, about one other potential drug cease involving kilograms of cocaine. On November 16, 2023, Cenat tried one other staged site visitors cease, this time concentrating on seven kilograms of pretend cocaine and $80,000 in money. Wearing black tactical gear and impersonating a Broward County Sheriff’s Workplace narcotics officer, Cenat carried out the cease and took the duffle bag containing the faux medicine and money. He was subsequently arrested by regulation enforcement, with the duffle bag and contents present in his unmarked MPD automobile, together with $2,000 from the earlier cease.
U.S. Lawyer Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Particular Agent in Cost Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI Miami Discipline Workplace, Particular Agent in Cost Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Discipline Division, and MPD Chief Manuel A. Morales introduced the sentencing.
