The FINANCIAL — MIAMI – Frenel Cenat, a former police officer with the City of Miami Police Department (MPD) was sentenced today to 135 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, by Senior U.S. District Judge James I. Cohn in Fort Lauderdale. Cenat previously pled guilty to attempted Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charges arose from the use of his police position and authority, and his unmarked MPD-issued vehicle and equipment to conduct two illegal traffic stops to steal what he believed were drug proceeds and seven kilograms of cocaine from the drivers.
“The vast majority of the law enforcement officers in this district and throughout this country perform their very difficult jobs with respect for their communities and in compliance with the law,” stated U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Former police officer Frenel Cenat tarnished his badge when he abused his position and authority. His actions do not speak for the larger law enforcement community. Rather, today’s sentencing is a reminder that no one is above the law. I would like to thank our partners at the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and MPD, in particular the FBI’s West Palm Beach Resident Agency and the Miami Area Corruption Task Force, for their unwavering commitment to the communities we serve and the pursuit of justice.”
“Former police officer Frenel Cenat disgraced himself by his inexcusable actions that damaged the public’s trust in law enforcement,” said Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “I want to thank the Drug Enforcement Administration, the City of Miami Police Department and our U.S. Attorney’s Office for their ironclad commitment throughout this complex investigation. Every day, thousands of dedicated, able, and honorable law enforcement officers take to the streets to protect communities throughout South Florida. It is on the behalf of these professionals that we seek to root out wrongdoing to ensure the high standards expected of our police are met and maintained. Our citizens deserve no less. We encourage anyone who may have information about corruption to come forward and report it. This information is vital to protecting our community.”
