Ex-Hialeah Police Chief Sergio Velazquez pleads not guilty to fraud, grand theft charges
Arrested for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in public funds, former Hialeah Police Chief Sergio Velazquez appeared in court Tuesday where he entered a plea of not guilty.
Velazquez, 62, is charged with structuring transactions to evade reporting or registration requirements, grand theft and organized scheme to defraud.
During the hearing, Velazquez's attorney entered the plea on his client's behalf and requested a trial by jury.
Miami-Dade County Judge Mindy Glazer, who found probable cause for the charges, set the bond at $30,000. An official arraignment will take place in 21 days.
Velazquez served as police chief from 2012 until his suspension in 2021.
On Tuesday evening, he walked out of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after posting bond.
Attorney responds to charges
Following his not guilty plea, the attorney for the former police chief issued a public statement emphasizing the legal safeguards afforded to all criminal defendants, including the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial.
Commenting on the case, Richard J. Diaz, attorney for Velazquez, stated:
"As with any criminal case along the bridge, between arrest on one side and conviction on the other, are the guaranteed protections for all defendants in this country, including Mr. Velazquez; they are:
The presumption of innocence, the right to remain silent, the state's high burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt and trying to convince 6/6 jurors of guilt, and, last, one or more appeals.
The legal battle will be in a courtroom, not in the media or at a press conference."
Police chief's alleged spending spree
His arrest followed a complaint from the current police chief, who discovered discrepancies involving seized funds and petty cash stored in the department's safe, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement which conducted an investigation.
The FDLE's probe revealed that during the final five months of Velazquez's tenure, from May to October 2021, about $560,000 in department funds were unaccounted for.
FDLE agents allege that Velazquez made more than 60 cash deposits, totaling more than $140,000, across multiple personal bank accounts. The agents noted that out of the 62 deposits, not a single deposit was over $10,000, the amounts structured to avoid federal reporting requirements.
The funds allegedly came from sources intended for confidential police operations and court-ordered forfeitures.
Financial records reviewed in the investigation show Velazquez made over $300,000 in purchases from Rolex, along with additional luxury expenditures including $11,000 at Cartier, $6,700 at Louis Vuitton and $5,000 at Versace.
