Miami Cop Stole Money, Drugs From Suspects In Sting: U.S. DOJ

MIAMI, FL — A Miami police officer faces federal charges after using his unmarked vehicle and position to steal drugs from suspects, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Frenel Cenat, 40, of Boynton Beach was charged with Hobbs Act extortion and attempted extortion under color of official right, theft of government funds, and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Cenat worked with an individual he thought was involved with drug tracking and agreed to use his Miami Police Department vehicle to conduct a traffic stop on a driver they thought would be carrying a large amount of drug proceeds, the DOJ said.

After making arrangements, he made the traffic stop on Nov. 3, using his lights and siren to pull over a vehicle driven by an undercover agent posing as a drug officer. The agent had a backpack that was supposed to be the drug proceeds.

Cenat identified himself as “Officer Martez” of the “Miami PD — Dade County Narcotics Unit,” the DOJ said. He said he had been investigating the driver, offering the option of handing over the backpack filled with $52,000 in $100 bills or going to jail.

The officer took the bag of money, let the driver leave, and met up with the person who told him about the deal, giving him $13,000 and keeping $39,000.

Cenat asked this person if he had anyone who they could stop to steal drugs and money from.

Once again, the officer used his unmarked vehicle on Nov. 16 to stop a different undercover agent who had been told would be transporting both money and 7 kilograms of cocaine, the DOJ said.
This time, he introduced himself as Officer Martez of the Broward County Sheriff’s Office — Narcotics Unit.” He, again, pretended to have been investigating the driver, giving him the choice of giving up the drugs and money or going to federal prison.

Cenat took a duffle bag containing $80,000 in $100 bills and 7 kilograms of fake cocaine and allowed the driver to leave, the DOJ said.

When he arrived at the arranged location for the split of the proceeds, he was arrested when the money and fake drugs were found in his MPD vehicle.