MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Police found 16 guns and thousands of rounds inside the Miami Beach hotel room of a man who, officials said, threatened and harassed Miami Beach officers and detectives.
After a previous arrest, police said, a judge told 54-year-old Ricky Weinberger not to make contact with the officers and detectives who arrested him. But, according to Miami Beach Police, he threatened officers, detectives and city employees on social media and in phone calls, leading police to track him to his room at the Lombardy Inn Hotel.
When police arrested him in his room, Saturday, they found 16 guns, including six assault rifles, and more than 4,000 rounds of bullets inside his room.
While being taken into custody, the report said, “Defendant stated to detective, ‘Don’t rip the jacket, or I’ll [expletive] kill you!'”
The report said that the officer’s body camera captured this exchange.
Police said that during January and February, Weinberger went on a law enforcement website, www.leoaffairs.com, and harassed officers. In one post, the report said, he addressed an officer on the same day that he didn’t show up in court for a case against him: “Wasn’t in the mood for smelling bacon you [expletive] pig.”
Weinberger’s criminal record includes accusations of stalking and weapons charges.
A judge placed a hold on Weinberger’s $50,000 bond, Monday, due to an earlier stalking charge.
He was denied bond on Tuesday morning, but Weinberger’s defense argues there is no proof that he did anything wrong. “What we’re seeing here over and over is the continual denial of his constitutional rights,” said Weinberger’s defense attorney.
On Monday, Miami Beach Police tweeted that, “A potential tragedy was averted. We will be working closely with Katherine Fernandez Rundle and her team on this case,” referring to the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County.
Phil Berranen, a friend of Weinberger, said he wasn’t surprised.
“He’s had several issues,” Berranen said. “He got arrested back in like mid-October, and he’d be talking like he’s a big shot, you know.”
Asked if he was surprised about the weapons police found, Berranen said, “No, that’s not a surprise with that guy.”
He also said Weinberger had shown him the guns “many times.”
Jim Steele, a neighbor, said he was disturbed by the arrest. “Well, sure, you find it unsettling,” he said.
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