Former cop sentenced in miami ecstasy case
November 18, 2009
On October 29, 2009, a former Miami-Dade County Police Officer appeared with his
Miami criminal lawyer at his sentencing hearing in federal court. Ex-police officer Jorge Delgado was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Delgado has entered a guilty plea at a previous court hearing to
possession of ecstasy with the intent to distribute. At the time of his arrest, Delgado worked as road patrol officer. The case arose from a joint investigation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Attorney's Office with the assistance of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Delgado, a three-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department was arrested during an undercover sting operation. The indictment and accompanying police reports indicated that he used his marked police cruiser to protect a shipment of ecstasy in exchange for $2,500.00. Law enforcement staged the events as part of their investigation. The agent in charge made the following statement to reporters, "It is disappointing when an officer breaks the law, but the South Florida law enforcement community as a whole is dedicated, professional, and has the highest standards of integrity. This officer chose not to honor the oath he took to serve the public and has now faced the consequences of his actions."
Any experienced Miami criminal attorney will tell you that every time a police officer is arrested, prosecuted and sent to jail; this fact will assist in the defense of your case. Obviously, if the officer arrested or even being investigated for committing a crime is integrally related to your charges, the prosecutor in most cases will have to dump the case. The quickest way to embarrass the prosecution and obtain a verdict of not guilty is to put a dirty cop on the stand to testify against you.
If the police officer is not related in any way to your case, the fact that he is being investigated or has been arrested, can play a large role in the outcome of your case. Police officers that been investigated, arrested, or sentenced are always brought to the attention of public through the media. An experienced Miami criminal defense lawyer who is prepared to take your case to trial should do so as soon as it is practical so the media event of a dirty cop will be fresh in the minds of the jury. Of course, this trial strategy is most effective in police related cases without civilian victims. For example, the strategy is most effective in
cocaine trafficking or other narcotics related cases, weapons cases, and other victimless crimes.
Former Miami-Dade Police Officer Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting in Ecstasy Undercover Operation, American Chronicle, November 13, 2009.
