Miami police officers charged with obstruction of justice and perjury

February 13th, 2010 - 1:07 am ICT by BNO News  

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) – Three members of the Miami-Dade Police Department were indicted on Friday on obstruction of justice and perjury charges, prosecutors said.

The indictment is a result of an investigation between the Miami-Dade Police Department and the FBI Miami Field Office.

Officers Jorge Luis Gonzalez, 27, Alkibiades Dodge, 37, and Sergeant Waell Majed Farraj, 33, were charged of conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements to a federal agent. Gonzalez and Farraj are also charged with committing perjury in a sworn testimony about a federal criminal case.

In July 2009, the defendants arrested Pedro Marte on a firearm possession charge. The three of them made false statements and subsequently wrote Police Department documents using such false statements. They continued to obstruct justice lying to federal agents and a judge. They were trying to conceal where they have seized the firearm. After the scheme was discovered the Court dismissed Marte’s case.

If convicted of all charges, Gonzalez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, Farraj could be sentenced to maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years, and Dodge cold face a maximum 20-year penalty.

“Our system of justice is based on the integrity and truthfulness of every witness that testifies in court,” U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sloman said. “When any witness lies under oath or conspires to obstruct justice, our system of justice is undermined.”

“A few police officers have betrayed the oath they took and will be held accountable for their actions, losing not only their jobs but their reputations,” FBI’s Special Agent in Charge John Gilles declared.

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