Frenel Cenat, 40, was a police officer with the Miami Police Department, he was arrested on November 16, 2023 after an FBI sting caught him stealing 7 kilograms of cocaine and $130,000 cash from drug dealers in Miami, Florida.
Officer Frenel was a cop since 2008. He was assigned to the property room protecting evidence that was used in criminal investigations.
Officer Frenel stole drugs and cash when he was off duty while using his take-home patrol vehicle.
The FBI got a tip that Officer Frenel had a tendency to rob drug dealers during traffic stops. So the FBI set up sting operations to catch Officer Frenel in the act.
FBI confidential sources plotted with Officer Frenel to rob a drug dealer of $52,000 cash. Frenel preferred to do the robberies outside of his usual precinct district because the police department would track people and ping their cell phones.
Officer Frenel usually received intelligence about drug transactions.
In early November the FBI confidential source coordinated a drug bust robbery with Officer Frenel through group chats on Signal.
FBI employees were posing as drug traffickers. On November 3, 2023 the FBI undercover agents did a drug deal involving three kilograms of cocaine and $52,000 at the Stadium Hotel parking lot in Miami Gardens.
After the deal, Officer Frenel pulled over one of the FBI undercovers and told the FBI employee posing as the driver that his name was “Officer Martez” with the Miami Police Department, Dade County Narcotics Unit.
Officer Frenel was in full uniform and told the undercover employee that he was under investigation for drug dealing.
Officer Frenel then took the $52,000 in cash in a bag in the backseat of the FBI agent’s vehicle. Officer Frenel said you can go to jail or give me the money. The FBI agent opted to let the officer keep the money. The FBI agent then drove off.
Officer Frenel drove to a Home Depot store to give the FBI confidential source $13,000 for helping him plan the robbery.
A few days later Officer Frenel called the FBI confidential source regarding another drug deal worth $80,000 and 7 kilograms of cocaine at the Fairfield Inn parking lot in Deerfield Beach, FL.
Th drug deal was again conducted by undercover FBI agents. After the fake drug deal, Officer Frenel pulled one of the involved undercover FBI agents over in a traffic stop.
Officer Frenel then identified himself as “Officer Martez of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit.”
Officer Frenel told the agent to give him the $80,000 and 7 kilograms of cocaine. Officer Frenel told the FBI agent that “you can go to jail or give me the cash and drugs.”
The FBI agent gave the money and cocaine to Frenel.
After the transaction, Officer Frenel drove to a Walmart to meet the FBI confidential source to give him cash proceeds for helping with the robbery.
At that time, the FBI moved in and arrested Officer Frenel.
The Miami Police Department released the following statement:
“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.”
Officer Frenel was charged with theft of government funds, attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine and Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right, and attempted Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right.
