Police Officer Sentenced in Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division; and J.D. Patterson, Acting Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), announced that Lawrence Perez, of Hialeah Gardens, was sentenced yesterday to 151 months in prison.

On May 14, 2012, a Miami jury found Perez guilty of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. According to the evidence at trial, Perez, a Hialeah Gardens Police Department detective during the events described in the indictment, conspired with a group of drug dealers to aid and protect their illegal marijuana business.

According to the evidence produced at trial, in March 2010, Perez and others conspired to possess approximately 10 pounds of marijuana. On that occasion, they planned to steal the 10 pounds by having Perez conduct a traffic stop and seize the marijuana from an individual who was attempting to sell the marijuana. The marijuana was taken and sold, and the proceeds were divided by the conspirators. Thereafter, in May 2010, a similar traffic stop resulted in 14 pounds of marijuana being stolen by the conspirators.

In July 2010, the conspirators learned of a marijuana grow operation in a warehouse. The conspirators conducted meetings and made plans to invade this warehouse and steal the marijuana plants. However, law enforcement had intercepted their telephone communications, learned of this plan, and executed a search warrant prior to the planned invasion. The search resulted in the seizure of 629 marijuana plants and 15 kilograms of packaged marijuana.

Evidence also showed that Perez used information he had access to as a law enforcement officer to aid and protect his co-conspirators. On one occasion, Perez warned a co-conspirator that law enforcement was investigating him and that he should be careful.

U.S. Attorney Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, DEA, and the Miami-Dade Police Department. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the Hialeah Gardens Police Department for their assistance in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Gilbert and Jared E. Dwyer.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.