HomeFeatured4 Miami-Dade Police Officers Indicted for Allegedly Killing Hostage and Bystander

4 Miami-Dade Police Officers Indicted for Allegedly Killing Hostage and Bystander

The police officers face a maximum possible penalty under Florida law of up to 30 years in state prison.

All bullets that killed UPS driver in 2019 Miramar shootout came from Miami-Dade police officers, FDLE report says.

4 Miami-Dade Police Officers Indicted for Allegedly Killing Hostage and Bystander. Credit WSVN-TV

All bullets that struck a UPS driver who was killed after jewelry store robbers hijacked his truck and exchanged gunfire with authorities came from police officers, a newly released report states.

Broward County State Attorney Press Release Re: 4 Miami-Dade Police Officers Indicted

Grand jury issues indictments in Miramar UPS shooting deaths.

June 15, 2024

After hearing evidence presented over several months, a Broward County grand jury issued indictments charging four current and former Miami-Dade County police officers with the deaths of two civilians – a kidnapped UPS truck driver and a civilian motorist – who were killed at a Miramar intersection on Dec. 5, 2019.

The indictments were returned on June 6 by the Broward County grand jury. All four charged individuals surrendered at the Broward County Main Jail on Friday and Saturday and their legal paperwork was processed.

Rodolfo Mirabal, 39, was indicted on two counts of manslaughter with a firearm for the deaths of Frank Ordonez, 27, the kidnapped UPS driver, and Richard Cutshaw, 70, the motorist, at the intersection of Miramar Parkway and Flamingo Road.

Jose Mateo, 32, Richard Santiesteban, 33, and Leslie Lee, 57, were all indicted on one count each of manslaughter with a firearm for the death of Ordonez.

All four were released on their own recognizance, per a judge’s court order. The maximum possible penalty under Florida law is up to 30 years in state prison, though a first-time offender could face a significantly lesser penalty.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and FBI completed their investigation and turned their findings over to the Broward State Attorney’s Office. A grand jury was empaneled earlier this year and reviewed evidence and heard testimony in the case over several months.

Broward State Attorney Harold F. Pryor said: “Deciding whether to use deadly force is among the most serious and consequential decisions a police officer can make. We understand that these decisions are often made during intense and uncertain circumstances. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted an extensive investigation of the officers involved in the shootings and their circumstances. Given the enormity of the gunfire in this incident at an extremely busy intersection packed with civilian motorists and pedestrians, we presented these agencies’ findings to the grand jury.”

“Although the process has taken a long time, we feel the grand jury was necessary to ensure we get answers for the victims’ families and the community. All of this was done with the mindset of pursuing justice. The indictment speaks for itself, and any further comments we have will be through the court process, as is our standing policy.”

Additional information is available on www.browardclerk.org under case numbers 24006304CF10A, 24006305CF10A, 24006306CF10A, and 24006307CF10A. Hearing dates will be published there when they are scheduled by the court.

Source: WSVN-TV

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SourceWSVN-TV
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