Ex-Miami cop who extorted cash and drugs from dealers sentenced to 11 years in prison

In March, Cenat pleaded guilty to extortion and attempting to possess cocaine with intent to distribute it before Cohn in Fort Lauderdale federal court. The extortion offense carried up to 20 years and the cocaine charge up to 10 years. He must also pay $13,000 in a forfeiture judgment as part of his punishment.

‘Corrupt police officer’

Cenat joined the city’s police force in 2008 and had worked in the evidence room over the past three years before his arrest in November.

At the time, the Miami Police Department fired Cenat and called him a “corrupt” police officer.

A criminal complaint, based on a sting operation involving an FBI confidential source who interacted with Cenat, charged him with using his official position to extort criminal suspects under the Hobbs Act and attempting to possess and distribute cocaine.

Key meeting in Broward

According to an affidavit, Cenat met with the FBI confidential source and an associate who knew the officer in October in Broward County. The purpose of the meeting was to arrange for the Miami police officer to target someone who he believed to be a drug dealer in order to steal $50,000 from him.

At the recorded meeting, Cenat introduced himself as “Frenel” and showed the confidential source his unmarked police-issued vehicle, a black 2016 Ford Explorer, and sounded the lights and siren. It was Cenat’s “take home” vehicle from the Miami Police Department.

Cenat described how “he likes to set up the ‘play’ “— a scheme to steal drugs and money from suspects while he is off duty outside his regular jurisdiction — and his “preference to do traffic stops after receiving intelligence about a drug transaction,” according to the FBI affidavit.

Cenat said that “on duty they [Miami police] got computers on and can track you and s--- like that ... you know what I mean ... ping your phone ... what you are doing in this area. You don’t wanna do that s--- bro while you are on duty’‘ and “if I work down there l will never f--- down there bro,” according to the affidavit.

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