MIAMI (WSVN) - Two Miami-Dade Police officers have been arrested for allegedly protecting drugs in exchange for money.
Miami-Dade Police officers Roderick Flowers and Keith Edwards were arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration following a four-and-a-half-month long undercover investigation.
“Whenever the government is using confidential sources, they clearly, clearly have a shady past,” Frank Prieto, Edwards’ attorney, said. “I think that there’s a risk of either due process or some type of entrapment violations.”
According to the criminal complaint, a known South Florida money launderer out of Davie told someone posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel that “both cops were on his payroll,” and “he could have the cops ready for anything as they both wanted to make money.”
Then in September, the two officers allegedly took $5,000 each to ensure a shipment of cocaine from Homestead safely reached its destination in Aventura.
The complaint detailed how the officers, in their own vehicles, “were immediately in front of and behind the undercover vehicle almost the entire way, in order to serve as an escort for the drugs.”
When the deal was done, the fake drug dealers sent off the officers by saying, “Welcome to the Sinaloa Cartel.” Then, “they both laughed, entered their vehicles and left the hotel,” according to the criminal complaint.
All of the interactions were recorded with both audio and video, investigators said.
Weeks later, both men were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, the officers could face up to life in prison.
Prieto added upon being booked into jail, his client tested positive for COVID-19.
Three other people were also arrested in connection with the undercover investigation. Their charges range from conspiracy to distribute cocaine to money laundering.
Both officers were granted bond during their Friday appearance in federal court.
When the officers bond out, they will be under house arrest.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.