Two Hialeah men posed as truck drivers in order steal a diverse array of goods from at least four warehouses in Miami-Dade County, according to police.
Two Hialeah cops and a private investigator involved in the alleged beating and kidnapping of a homeless man have been granted a trio of legal requests: First, the judge originally overseeing the case moved on. Then his replacement not only agreed to a speedy trial but also indicated a proposal to seat two juries in the same courtroom was not likely to happen.
Hialeah motorcycle cops charged with issuing bogus tickets to drivers they never pulled over David Ovalle, The Miami Herald
Apr. 21 Two Hialeah police motorcycle officers surrendered on Wednesday to face allegations they issued dozens of bogus traffic tickets to motorists.
Prosecutors charged Ernesto Arias-Martinez, 23, and Armando Perez, 40, with multiple felony counts of official misconduct and falsifying public records. They were being jailed early Wednesday and are expected to post bond by later in the day.
Perez had been with Hialeah for five years, Arias-Martinez less than four.
The scheme began to unravel thanks in part to a defense law firm chasing business.
The victims of the alleged false tickets received multiple traffic citations without ever having knowledge of having committed a traffic violation, officials said.
One victim “officially” received 18 citations on February 13, 2020, and then received 6 others the following day, all allegedly without his knowledge or without his ever having received a tangible citation. The victim recalled being stopped by Hialeah motorcycle officers, being asked for his vehicle’s documents, and then being told he would receive a citation in the mail. No actual traffic citation allegedly ever appeared.
Mail solicitations for legal representation in traffic court led to the victim’s discovery of the situation and he contacted the Hialeah Police Department.