Former City of Miami Police officer sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for extortion, attempted drug distribution

By CAROLINA BORGES

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WSVN) — A former City of Miami Police officer was sentenced for extortion and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Frenel Cenat, who pleaded guilty in March, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge James Cohn in the Fort Lauderdale Federal Courthouse on Tuesday. His prison sentence is followed by five years of supervised release. After his sentencing, Cenat was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

Cenat’s sentencing marks the conclusion of a case that began last year when a tip-off about corrupt activities led to an undercover investigation.

According to investigators, Cenat used his department-issued unmarked cruiser to conduct traffic stops on individuals he believed to be involved in drug trafficking. However, these individuals were actually undercover agents. Cenat offered them a choice: hand over bags filled with money and drugs or face arrest.

In November 2023, Cenat was arrested and charged with extortion and attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He allegedly pocketed drugs and money from those he pulled over, often using the alias “Officer Martez of the Miami PD Narcotics Unit” during these encounters. In one instance, Cenat seized $52,000 from an undercover agent posing as a drug trafficker, later splitting the proceeds with an informant.

City of Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales addressed Cenat’s arrest in November, stating, “The arrest of Officer Cenat is the result of a joint operation focused on identifying corrupt cops, and it’s an example of the repercussions when one of our own betrays their oath of office and tarnishes their badge.”

Following the sentencing, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida will hold a press conference to provide updates on the case.

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